Cotton the cat was one of the stray cats in Florida, he was alone, starving, severely ill, and nearly kicked the bucket. He was in drastic conditions: his head was being eaten alive by mites, his eyes were scabbed over with mange so badly that he couldn’t open them. Cotton was struggling to get by until his lifesaver arrived and turned his life around. Carmen Weinberg, the founder of Animal Friends Project Inc., was heartsore when she received him, and immediately took him under her care. Ever since then, Cotton had been given a second chance at life and fit in with the indoor life.
Scroll down to know more about Cotton and Carmen’s amazing journey of recovering see Cotton transformed into the most beautiful, loving cat!
More info: Facebook | Instagram (h/t: boredpanda)
Carmen’s Facebook post about Cotton when she first took him in
“He couldn’t even see or open his eyes because the mites were so bad,” Carmen told The Dodo. “It must have been so scary for him out there not being able to see. He was all alone and so skinny because he couldn’t find food.”
Cotton’s devastating condition when he first arrived
First, Carmen gave him a clean-up, then served him with delicious, hearty meals he never seemed to have. She had been watching over his mange and treated it with creams, coconut oils, and various antibiotics. “We could just see his tense body start to relax as the days passed,” she said. “He was finally able to rest without scratching so much.”
“Cats like Cotton depend on people to heal because they cannot always ask for help … I’m sure so many people passed him by because of how sick he looked, but he was just waiting for someone to give him a chance.”
From unable to open his eyes, under a miraculous transformation, Cotton is now healed from his appalling health issues and turned into the most beautiful, loving cat ever. The day he was finally able to open his eyes was truly an emotional moment: “We thought he was blind, and that he would be blind forever, “Carmen explained. “The vet thought that even when his eyes recovered they might be damaged, but they weren’t. It was such a wonderful surprise. His eyes were just beautiful.”
Cats with odd eye colors, or heterochromia, are usually white. Yes, Cotton is also a cat with two different eye colors. Once he opens his eyes, it’s irresistible to look at: his right eye is bright blue, and his right eye is hazel.
Cotton earned his name from his white, silky fur, although Carmen named it before his transformation. She sure had predicted his amazing transformation from bedraggled, filthy coat to the amazing sleek, snow-white fur.
Not only did Carmen give Cotton love and care, but she also gave him a second chance at life. As Cotton’s health got better over time, the bond between him and Carmen eventually deepened. He had grown on Carmen so much that she was unable to put him up for adoption. Carmen explained that he was not short of suitors, but it was her who decided to keep him: “We got so many applications for him due to his looks, but in the end, I saw how attached to me he had become,” she said. “I didn’t have the heart to put him through another big change. He had already been through so much.”
Cotton’s healthy, dashing appearance after the transformation, with lots of food, toys, and a forever home where he can be safe and loved
Carmen’s center has saved and helped hundreds of cats in South Florida, where the overpopulation condition is still a difficult problem to solve. “I decided to start Animal Friends Project after I saw the huge amount of homeless cats in South Florida,”
“Most of these cats needed to be spayed and neutered and many were sick and injured and people and organizations did not seem to be doing much to help them. I imagined that by bringing awareness to this problem, people would become friends of the animals and would want to help them.”
“My advice is to please not ignore them. Anyone can help animals. Many sick stray cats are friendly and it is very easy to put them in a crate and take them to a vet. People can fundraise to pay for medical care. At least take photos and start asking for help.”
Carmen’s center has assisted hundreds of community cats in the area with Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) services, however, more help is appreciated! You can donate here or even foster, adopt a kitty yourself. Check out Carmen’s Facebook or Instagram for more details!
