Last year, an animal rescue staff member with Street Paws in Bali came across a horrifying sight. A malnourished cat was all alone, and his skinny body was coated in sticky, black glue — most likely the result of getting stuck in a large mouse trap. The rescuer cradled the cat in her arms and brought him straight to the vet.
Veterinarians spent hours gently scrubbing the glue from the cat’s fur. They named him Timothy and gave him plenty of food and fluids. Timothy was so weak he could barely move. He relaxed into his rescuer’s expert hands and began regaining his strength.
Eli, a Street Paws rescuer, visited Timothy every day at the clinic and watched as he slowly healed. Eventually, Timothy prepared to move out of the animal hospital and into a foster home. His original rescuer, Mayang, agreed to foster him for the time being. Safe with Mayang and her rescue cats, Timothy kept getting better.
“He gained weight, and his fur started growing,” Eli said in a video for The Dodo.
Weeks went by, and Timothy’s true colors began shining through. His eyes brightened, and his gorgeous gray-and-white fur regained its former length and sheen. He looked like a completely different cat.
“He turned out to be even more beautiful than what we expected,” Eli said.
During this time, Mayang couldn’t help but feel increasingly connected to her amazing foster cat. She slowly realized that she never wanted to let him go.
“It was a classic foster fail,” Eli said.
Now, Timothy spends his days with his mom and his cat siblings, far from the dangerous streets he once called home.
“He’s just so happy,” Eli said.