A cat showed joy for the first time as he experienced kindness after years of a hard life.
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After spending most of his life roaming the streets, Blackjack the cat came to a balcony hoping to find warmth and comfort.
He thought he had hit the jackpot when a young woman took him home, but he ended up in a hoarding situation. With his ailments untreated, he began to deteriorate. One day, several volunteer rescuers teamed up to save ten cats from the overcrowded home, and Blackjack was one of them.
When they found Blackjack, he couldn’t open his eyes. But from that moment on, his life was about changing for the better.
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“He was brought to us in Montreal in poor condition, covered in dirt with his nose and eyes blocked due to an infection,” Chatons told Orphelins Montreal. “Despite everything, he knocked his food down because he was so hungry.”
He was treated for an upper respiratory infection and spent most of his time resting and healing.
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For a while, Blackjack was quite withdrawn, rarely leaving his seat and sleeping his days away. “When he regained strength, his foster family noticed that he had a limp when he walked.”
They went back to the vet, where they discovered that Blackjack needed far more care than anyone had anticipated.
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“Although he had recovered from his cold, his eyes remained painful and closed due to entropion, which caused his eyelids to roll inward. He also had several infected teeth that needed to be extracted.”
With the support of the community, Blackjack underwent eyelid surgery and a full dentist. Even with a few teeth left, he felt brand new.
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“We were finally able to see him with his eyes open when his stitches were removed.”
After many challenging years, Blackjack struggled to trust people, but his foster family never stopped trying to win him over. “Given his long recovery, we were keen for him to begin socializing and learning to live without stress.”
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“We showed him that he was no longer alone and that the worst was behind him.”
His foster father spent plenty of time with him in the room, trying to entice him with his favorite treats. Slowly but surely, Blackjack emerged from his “cave” and showed interest in his surroundings.
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“With positive reinforcement, he began making soft meows when his people approached him with food and gently placed his paw on their hand.”
His slight limp, a remnant of an old injury that healed crookedly, does not prevent him from living a good life. Although unable to jump like other cats, he navigates his world with remarkable resilience. To everyone’s surprise, he is also deaf, but that doesn’t bother him in the least.
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As Blackjack grew confident with his people, he gradually ventured into the rest of the house. When he noticed other cats, his face lit up and his loving nature came out. “He meows and wants to be friends with the cats in the house.”
He follows them on their adventures, exploring every nook and cranny and watching Cat TV on the screen.
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At seven years old, Blackjack has been through it all. He is deaf, IVF+, and walks with a slight limp, but he is a beautiful soul, eager for affection and good company.
“He has come out of his shell since his arrival and continues to make progress every day.”
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The once timid, cuddly cat has blossomed into a fantastic house panther with soft fur. He is enjoying his new life with feline friends and sleeps soundly every night, knowing he is safe and loved.
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