A Stray Ginger Cat Had Such Bad Mange That He Couldn’t See But See What A Little Love Can Do

One lady is on a quest to save as many stray and wild cats as she can just north of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Carmen Morales Weinberg, the creator of Animal Friends Project, devotes her days, evenings, and any spare time to these abandoned cats.

That goes for every dime she has in her pockets. There are always cats in need of her attention in the Sunshine State, which has a year-round “kitten season.”

They emerge one after the other, each with its own set of problems. Ringworm, mange, blindness, malnutrition, maltreatment, and, of course, flea infestations are all too frequent. Carmen does not turn her back on any of them!

It’s draining, thankless, costly, and heartbreaking work. It can, however, be tremendously fulfilling, inspiring, and heartwarming, which is why she does it.

Every second is worth it, as one of her most recent changes from mange-crusted cat to attractive ginger stud demonstrates.

Despite the large number of sad animals in her care/organization, Carmen couldn’t say no to his condition. She began raising donations, knowing that giving this animal a chance would not be inexpensive.

Animal Friends Project, like many other 501(c)(3) organizations, is entirely reliant on donations to fulfill its life-saving goal.

Fortunately, assisting cats in overcoming terrible mange is a free service, which I am now able to give to this youngster. He arrived at the home of a lady who was able to call us for help.

When Carmen arrived at the residence, she easily spotted the suffering cat. He began crying loudly, pleading for someone to help him.

Reacting to Carmen’s voice, he approached her with one of the worst cases of mange that she’d seen. The defeated tone to his meow could actually be seen in his posture.

Carmen placed the cage cautiously, unsure of how he would respond to being caged. She didn’t want to startle the cat and cause him to get into further mischief. She snatched a can of cat food from the shelf and popped the cap.

Carmen poured the contents of the can onto a plate as the miserable youngster cried out in agony as he smelled the meal. He hadn’t eaten in a long time, and she had no idea how long it had been.

It was unnecessary for me to lay the trap. He came up to me, and all I had to do was throw food in front of the trap, and he walked right in!

Carmen knew he was in a lot of agony because of how easy it was to “catch” him. She called him Simba and took him home with her.

The poor kid was clearly in bad shape. His mange was so serious that his entire body had a hard outer shell! Parasitic mites that burrow beneath the skin produce this illness. Itching, skin irritation, and hair loss are all possible side effects. It is treatable, but it does not go away immediately.

Simba enthusiastically accepted all of the love and attention she could give him in no time. Not to mention the food and drink he consumed at each meal! The mites began to die after a few days, and the scabs and crusty skin began to slough.

Carmen had also been putting eye drops in his eyes in the hopes that he’d be able to open them soon.

The icky crust is peeling away from his ears. I couldn’t clean his face with a warm towel since he wouldn’t let me, but I’ll try again later. I keep rubbing coconut oil onto his skin until the crust softens and I can comb it away. He thankfully allows me to work on him. He is just amazing.

He progressed from huddling up when sleeping to extending out his exhausted body, indicating that he was feeling better. A contented cat is a happy cat! On the 19th, Carmen was given a sliver of an eye that looked at her.

Simba was able to catch a sight of his savior for the first time.

He’d gone to the vet as soon as his mange began to fade. Chasewood Animal Hospital was able to shave away some of the crusty parts, leaving him with no itching skin or suffering. He was tested for FeLV and FIV while he was there, and both tests came back negative.

Simba eats everything I put in front of him, so I’m hopeful he’ll put on some weight soon. He’s still at ease, watching everything.

I’m curious as to how he feels about all of these changes in his life. When he is fully recovered, we want to find him a wonderful permanent home.

After mange, the damaged fur on his little body began to come out in sections, which is a positive thing. As the previously afflicted areas healed, new fur would be able to grow.

I’m not sure how long it will take for his hair to regrow.

Simba is an eager participant in his own rehabilitation throughout it all. Except for when he has to wipe his ears. Carmen must proceed with caution because he is not a fan. She doesn’t want him to experience any setbacks in his ability to trust humans or in his healing abilities.

When I tried to clean his ears the other day, he became irritated. They’re filthy, but if he thinks I’m going to try again, he won’t let me touch him. I don’t want him to be afraid, so I’ll put him to sleep and hope he forgets about it and lets me clean him!

Simba hadn’t been permitted to have free-range at her house since mange is infectious to other cats. She hopes to locate him a foster home where he may wander freely now that he has been cleared.

Since his previous existence is unknown, he would also need to learn how to genuinely “cat.” Cleaning his ears appears to be the one thing he’s plainly “catty” about–STILL!

He appears at ease and peaceful, but I know he requires a bit more socialization because we have no idea if he has ever lived in a family.

Simba’s legs are starting to look decent. His hair is still growing, but his skin has healed completely.

Please visit their website for more information on fostering Simba or any of the other felines in Carmen’s care, as well as showing your support. Follow Carmen and Animal Friends Project on Facebook to keep up with all of their incredible rescue stories!