A gray half-blind lump crawled out of the bushes right to the spouses’ car, as if they were his only hope.
An animal rescuer from Las Vegas named Nikki Martinez was engaged in trapping stray cats for sterilization. When she and her husband stopped in one of the districts, they suddenly heard a thin squeak asking for help.
A tiny gray lump crawled out of the bushes straight towards them. The baby, who turned out to be a girl, was very weak and very small. The couple immediately began to look for other kittens nearby and found three babies who were much larger and stronger than their sister.
The tortoiseshell kitty was in critical condition and needed around-the-clock care. Other kittens were sent to foster care, but Nikki took this baby to her.
The couple named the cat Erica. The baby had no energy at all, she refused to eat and could barely stand on her paws. Added to this was a severe bacterial infection. The cat was placed in a special incubator and kept on antibiotics.
The first days the baby was fed through a tube, and Nikki was happy with every gram that the ward gained. The woman did everything to make her get out faster – and finally, Erica began to gradually come to life.
At the age of five weeks, Erika was finally able to play with toys, eat normal food and look at the world with her beautiful open eyes. The guardian could not get enough of the fact that this strong baby stood up on her paws.
The ward grew and grew stronger every day – soon Nikki did not have time to look after her. Erica began to actively explore everything around her, play, run, and make mini-mess – like the most normal cat!
At foster care, Erica learned all the important things for a cat – eat adult food, use a litter box, play with cat toys, and just be a pet. When she was strong enough, it was time to look for permanent owners for her.
Photos of the kitty were noticed by a family from another state – they fell in love at first sight, and traveled a long way to meet Erica.
“I remember how she didn’t eat for weeks, and I had to feed her with a straw,” recalls rescuer Nikki. “I prayed for hours for her to survive … and now the day has come when her permanent owners are taken away.”
Erika has turned into a real beauty and lives happily with her new family. She is surrounded by care, fed, and loved – what else is needed for a cat’s happiness?
Erica’s rescue story
