Every year, as the colder months roll in, we’re reminded just how important it is to help outdoor cats stay warm.
Sadly, those reminders often come from heartbreaking stories of innocent kitties battling the harsh cold – and this story is no different.
In McKeesport, Pennsylvania, a poor tuxedo cat was found lying motionless on the snow-covered ground, seemingly waiting for either help to arrive or for her suffering to end.
Thankfully, a kind-hearted person spotted her and decided to step in and make a difference.
Heartbroken by the cat’s condition, the woman gently picked her up and took her home to warm her up.
Wanting to share the moment, she recorded everything and posted it on her social media. Thankfully, her amateur rescue video found the right audience!
Local rescuer Trish Cole came across the video and didn’t waste a moment. She rushed to the woman’s home, determined to help the critically ill cat.
Trish then reached out to Carly Toth-Beech, a dedicated foster mom from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, who works with Pet Friends, a non-profit rescue in Irwin.
Without hesitation, Carly stepped in and took over the care of the ailing cat.
Trish and Carly rushed the cat to Barnes Lake Veterinary Center, where a team of skilled veterinarians was ready and eager to help the poor feline.
In an interview with CBS Pittsburgh, Carly described just how dire the cat’s condition was. She said:
“Her temperature would not register on the thermometer for about two hours. And according to the vet, another thirty minutes, maybe an hour, and she would not have come back from it.”
The vets estimated the cat was about a year and a half old and noted severe injuries to her hind legs, which likely slowed her down as she searched for warmth.
On top of that, she had frostbite from the cold and was dangerously underweight and malnourished.
Carly stayed by the cat’s side for hours, patiently waiting until the vets were finally able to raise her temperature.
Moved by the cat’s heartbreaking story, people – many of whom had never met Carly or heard of her rescue – stepped up to donate and help the sweet tuxedo cat.
Carly lovingly named her Birthday and explained the meaning behind the name on her Facebook page:
“I named her Birthday, both in honor of Trish for dropping everything to bring her to me on her birthday and because today is the first day of the rest of her life.”
Once Birthday’s condition improved, Carly brought her home to continue caring for her.
It didn’t take long before Birthday started feeling much better; she was meowing, purring, and even kneading biscuits in her new warm, cozy home.
After everything she endured, surviving the cold and such harsh conditions, she truly deserved this fresh start.
Though Birthday may lose one of her hind legs due to her injuries and frostbite, Carly remains optimistic that she’ll still live a wonderful life as a happy and resilient cat.
However, she also emphasizes the importance of caring for strays and feral cats during the winter months. She advises:
“Take the animal in, put them in the bathroom, even get them in your garage – the garage is warmer than the outside. Put her in a box with a towel or a blanket so she’s not lying directly on the snow.”
Birthday’s story, with one of her nine lives spent, serves as a powerful reminder of the need to keep our pets indoors, get them spayed or neutered, and provide community cats with a warm place to stay during cold weather.
Let’s take this lesson to heart and ensure no cat has to endure such hardships again.
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