11/29/2025
It started on August 3, 2025. Calls. Messages. Photos. Videos. All from compassionate strangers who couldn’t ignore the sight of a stray cat struggling to survive near Diehl Road. With each alert, the situation felt more heartbreaking, a vulnerable animal alone, scared, and desperately needing help.
One compassionate Good Samaritan reached out to us after spotting an orange-and-white cat desperately devouring food from a bowl she set outside. In the photos and videos she shared, the cat’s ribs were visible beneath his fur. He was starving, exhausted, terrified, a fragile, skin-and-bones boy doing everything he could just to survive.
Each time she tried to approach him, he hissed and bolted, too scared to trust but too hungry to stay away. Worried he wouldn’t make it much longer on his own, she contacted us for help.
Although trapping stray cats isn’t a typical service we provide, we knew immediately that this boy needed urgent intervention. That evening, staff set traps in the area where he had last been seen.
By the next morning, the traps remained empty…a heartbreaking sight. But later that day, a nearby business alerted us that the cat had been spotted again. We quickly set an additional trap, and by afternoon, the update we had been hoping for finally came — he was safely inside.
Staff rushed to bring him back to the shelter, where a warm, quiet space was waiting just for him. What we saw broke our hearts: he was thin, starving, covered in fleas and ticks, and suffering from a painful ruptured testicle. And yet, beneath all that trauma, he was gentle. Tired. Sweet.
He was taken immediately to a veterinarian for treatment and evaluation. This resilient little survivor earned the name Uno.
During his exam, we learned Uno tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), meaning his immune system may be weaker and he may be more prone to infection, but FIV is not a life sentence. With regular veterinary care (just like any other cat), Uno can still live a long, healthy, love-filled life. And yes, he can safely live with other cats.
Uno, who has overcome so much on his own, has found his forever home! He’s now safe, loved, and thriving, enjoying the warmth and care he’s always deserved. With a family who saw past his rough beginnings, Uno is blossoming into the affectionate, loyal companion everyone knew he could be.
Uno survived because people cared.
This Giving Tuesday, your generosity can make twice the difference for pets like Uno! Thanks to our friends at Vetnique, every gift will be matched up to $5,000 — doubling your impact and helping bring hope, care, and second chances to animals in need.
✨ Make your Giving Tuesday gift today and join us in continuing our life-saving work for pets who need us most: https://give-usa.keela.co/giving-tuesday-donation-2025
