Florida Woman Finds A Stray Cat With The Worst Case Of Mange She Has Ever Seen
When Carmen Weinberg, founder of Animal Friends Project, got a call about a stray cat suffering from a strange skin condition, she didn’t hesitate to act.
After years of rescuing strays, she thought she had come across just about everything. But this case turned out to be the most extreme form of mange she had ever seen.
Carmen was contacted by a woman who spotted a stray cat in a desperate condition. As she shared in an interview:
“She told us that there was a sick orange cat crying in front of her house. He seemed to suffer from mange (a skin disease) and could not open his eyes.”
Carmen wasted no time and arrived right away, fully prepared to safely trap the animal.
To her surprise, the process was smoother than anticipated, as the poor creature, desperate for help, seemed to plead for rescue.
All she needed to do was place some food in the cage and the poor kitty, evidently starving, followed the smell. As she reports:
“He was so hungry and covered in mange – it was like a hard shell all over his body. His eyes were closed as a result of it.”
The poor feline was clearly suffering, with visible pain and discomfort. An itchy, crusty layer covered much of his body, particularly his face, making him appear as though he had an outer shell.
Despite the heavy crust, Carmen saw past it and recognised the true beauty of this ginger cat.
The name Simba seemed like a perfect match for such a stunning kitty. She took him home, and his recovery journey began.
His past was a mystery, but it was clear that he had suffered for some time.
Ill-fated, blind, and shunned by everyone because of his grim appearance, Simba was hungry – for both food and love. Carmen shared on her Facebook:
“He eats everything I put in front of him and I am hoping he will gain weight soon. He is still relaxed, observing everything. I wonder what he thinks of all these changes in his life.”
The healing process was tough, but after a few days, Simba began to show signs of improvement. The awful crust started to fall off in pieces, providing much-needed relief.
As the crust continued to shed, Simba was finally able to open his eyes and, for the first time, see the person who had saved him.
With his good appetite and delicious canned food (his favorite) he was devouring, he soon began gaining weight. The worst was behind him and Simba could finally relax. As Carmen reports:
“There is nothing like seeing a cat relaxed, knowing they are no longer feeling miserable. Simba continued to recover. He lost a lot of hair but his skin was healing nicely.”
Grateful for the second chance he’d been given, Simba actively took part in his treatment from the start.
He was a good boy and an obedient patient, proving wrong the common belief that gingers are unruly.
Months into his treatment, Simba’s once-missing orange fur began to grow back, restoring his beautiful coat.
With his fluffiness returned, so did his ginger sass. He was finally starting to feel like himself again!
Simba’s journey was remarkable, going from a miserable, mange-covered kitty to a handsome and charming ginger boy.
His transformation was truly nothing short of miraculous.
His incredible journey reached a beautiful conclusion when he found his forever home, where he would finally receive the love and care he truly deserved.
