Nobody really knows precisely how old he is or where he came from. However, this cute semi-feral cat got his second chance at a new life after a kindhearted man saved him from the hard life of the streets!
This is Tuffy the cat!
The man had been feeding Tuffy in his backyard for a few months. Tuffy would come out of the bushes in the backyard looking for food, but as time went on, he appeared to become weaker and weaker.
The man knew he had to do something to help the cat!
“Tuffy was always running and was very hard to caught him , but the man was able to lure him into a carrier and contacted VOKRA (Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association),” VOKRA noted on Facebook.
His sinuses were completely stuffed up and his eyes were badly infected.
Despite the fact that he was still a little fearful, Tuffy realized that the staff at the shelter were just trying to help.
“He let us clean his ears and eyes, give him the needed medicine and add antibiotic eye cream.”
After spending God know how much time fending for himself on the streets, Tuffy was finally in the proper hands receiving the care he needed.
Just a week after the rescue, Tuffy looked and probably felt a whole lot healthier.
They cleaned his face with a warm wet compress each and every day, and we’re sure that helped him to feel better.
While he was getting his face washed, Tuffy allowed his human friends to pet his back.
Volunteers cared for him round-the-clock, adding eye cream and giving him oral antibiotic to help him heal his cold.
With a lot of patience and some good ole fashioned love, the cat was finally ready to be neutered and receive the dental care that he really needed.
“As he arrived to us covered in fleas with his fur entirely tangled, we shaved the mats off his back which seemingly made him feel much more satisfying,” VOKRA stated.
Several people of one feral colony recognized Tuffy from his picture at VOKRA.
“Tuffy had been coming to their colony for food for almost a 9 years. He would always stay by the bushes and wait until the feral cats ate, after that he came and finish off the food. These caretakers hadn’t seen Tuffy for about a year, though. The area he was saved at is about two blocks away and across a canyon from their colony! That is where he met the kind man who has been feeding him and contact us for help.”
It is estimated that Tuffy is now approximately 12 years old.
It also wasn`t very easy to find him a forever home. Tuffy was eventually tested FIV+, and he was still very feral to live in a regular, loving home. But just then, they came up with a solution for Tuffy.
Katie’s Place Rescue Shelter brought him into their outdoor/ indoor enclosure where there are other cats who are also FIV+.
As Tuffy continued to recover, it became clear that for the most part anyway, he prefers to keep his distance from people and other cats.
“We do not want to be scared all the time and have made the decision to move him to our monitored Safe Feral Area where he will have a heated cabin and a big, nice forested area enclosed by a fence,” Katie Place Rescue Shelter stated.
Tuffy now has cat friends to live with and will never have to fight for food or go without care ever again.
If Tuffy’s story has inspired you, be sure to share it with your friends!
You can support their rescue efforts at VOKRA’s website. Follow VOKRA on Facebook.
