Rosa first noticed Jaxon from a distance – the cat would stare at her as he sat in the nearby woods. Soon after, she noticed him crossing the streets near her apartment, prompting her to find out if her landlord knew anything about the orange cat.
Turns out, this sweet boy was abandoned around six years ago from people who used to live there. As sad as Rosa was that he had been abandoned, she was so incredibly glad to have found him. Not only does she love cats, but she’s someone who regularly helps stray cats in Delaware.
Still, getting this kitty the help he needed wasn’t easy. After six long years of fending for himself, he was slow to trust a stranger, making it impossible for Rosa to catch him. But with the harsh winter weather that comes every February, she knew she had to do something fast.
Until she could take him home, she set up outdoor shelters to shield him from the elements. She also set up a feeding station, making it a part of her morning routine to check in on him and bring him fresh food. Plus, in learning his routine, it would hopefully make it easier for her to capture him.
“I tried to trap him many times,” Rosa said. “He was really smart – he never got in the cage. You could see that his eyes were irritated – he usually kept them closed. I didn’t know if he could see.”
After months of trying to earn Jaxon’s trust, the moment Rosa had been waiting for finally happened on July 1, 2021.
“I got closer to him and I started talking to him,” Rosa said. “He just continued eating. He just let me pet him, and I was like, ‘Are you going to let me grab you?’ And then I just grabbed him from the back of his head … I think that he was ready to receive some help.”
Thrilled to finally have Jaxon in her hands, she took him home, gave him de-wormer, then gave him something to help with his fleas. Soon after, he was taken to a vet. Somehow, despite his lengthy stay in the woods, he didn’t have any serious health issues!
The biggest issue he had to overcome had to do with his eyes, as Rosa suspected. Luckily, all he needed was surgery to get back to seeing much more clearly!
“After his surgery, I think that really changed everything – he can see now,” she said. “He was so sweet. I could pet him that first day that I took him home.”
It took Jaxon around five months to warm up to Rosa, but once she was able to get him home, he was able to show off his sweet personality in no time.
“He’s like a gentle old man,” she said. “He has all the calm in the world. He doesn’t complain about anything.”
As much as Rosa adored this little guy, her plate was too full to take on another cat. But once Jaxon’s story went viral, it didn’t take long at all for him to find his forever home all the way in New York!
Once he was settled in, Rosa’s followers were excited to get an update on this brave boy. Not only is he loving it in his new home, but he’s been given a brand new name!
We’re so grateful for people like Rosa who take the time to care for sweet creatures like Hank, and we wish this kind cat a happy life in his new home!
Don’t forget to share Hank’s journey with a friend.
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