This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog!

When I answered the rescue center door and saw this dirty white head sticking out of a box, my first thought was, "This poor cat looks almost dead."

The man who brought this old fella to us had a neighbor lady who died six months previously. When her family came to clean the house, they tossed this dear cat outside, locked the door to the house, and never went back.

Photo: Jacci Moss

The neighbor saw the cat during the first two weeks, then saw him go under the house. Almost six months later, they saw him pop his head out from the crawl space. After coaxing him out, they realized he was in very poor condition. This is when Dodger entered the rescue center.
We see a lot of hardship cases here, but this one broke our hearts. Dodger turned out to be a geriatric cat, completely covered in tight mats except for his head, had rotten teeth, was emaciated, and dehydrated. Not only that, his bottom was covered in stool, blood, and literally thousands of maggots.

Over the course of two days, he was shaved, bathed, hydrated, rotted teeth were pulled, and the terrible maggots were removed. The huge wounds on his backside required a daily bath for weeks. The first week, Dodger's days consisted of eating, healing, and sleeping--he was a very tired, weak cat.

Photo: Pixabay

It's been two months since his arrival, and we love him dearly. He will live his life here at the rescue center, being one of our "oldsters". His wounds are almost healed, and he loves to be cuddled. He can eat all he wants and has already gained three pounds. Now he sports a sweater until his fur grows out. We feel his original owner would be glad that he made his way here.

Story submitted by Jacci Moss, from Defiance, OH.

Dodger’s story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!