A man came back to help a stray cat that he had befriended, and changed his life forever.
It was another day of rescuing street cats and kittens for Chris Poole (an animal rescuer based in Tampa, Florida) when he came across a scruffy looking stray who was missing an eye, at a local mobile home park.
The gray and white cat came back for feedings after he noticed that Chris brought food one day. He was rough around the edges and clearly in need of medical attention.
"One street in particular was really bad with lots of kittens and many unfixed adults. I always start with kitten locations first since they are the most vulnerable. While doing so, I fed the cats there and Odin was a regular," Chris told Love Meow.
"Over a few days, I got closer and closer to him after I put down food for him to eat to see how he reacted. Luckily, he was pretty laid back and wouldn't run away."
Hoping to earn his trust, Chris decided to stick around and talk to him while the cat ate his food. The kitty grew more and more comfortable around his human friend and began to let his guard down.
"Then one day I decided to offer him tuna and see if I could get really close to him. To my delight, he would eat the chunks of tuna I threw in his direction and let me get closer," Chris shared with Love Meow.
Eventually, the cat mustered enough courage to come up to Chris and nibble some tuna from his hand — it was the green light that Chris had been waiting for. He reached out and started petting the little guy on his head.
"After this happened, I knew there was hope that he could become adoptable so we began to lay down a plan of action," Chris said.
Nicolle Thompson, founder of Chalky's Cat Crusade, was then contacted. She immediately stepped up to help, and her rescue offered to cover all the veterinary expenses, get him socialized and find him the perfect home.
The sweet feline whom they named Odin, walked right into the humane trap that Chris set on the ground, as if he knew he was in good hands.
Odin had been living with a lot of pain prior to his rescue. He underwent an eye enucleation surgery, had thorough dental care, and various other procedures to address a host of health issues. The sweet boy bounced back from his surgery like a champ. He kept his purr motor on high, and all he wanted was to be petted and cuddled.
June Albert, a volunteer of the rescue, looked after Odin while he was recovering. The sweet feline absolutely adored attention and loved to be tended to. His purrs reverberated throughout the room.
Once he was medically clear, Colleen Drury, another volunteer, took him home to socialize him. "He got to spend some time with other cats and got even more comfortable living indoors," Chris told Love Meow.
After weeks in foster care, Odin was finally ready for his next chapter in life. Little did he know that his perfect home had been waiting for him all along.
Watch Odin's journey in this video:
Jamie Kern started following Odin's journey on social media right from the beginning. "I fell in love with him from the very first picture that Chris posted. I can't explain it. I just knew he was my cat. The second I could fill out the adoption application I was on it," Jamie shared with Love Meow.
As it turns out, her resident tabby cat Marvel also had a rough life before finding his way to Jamie. "I felt like here was another baby that so deserved to be safe and loved."
"I waited over a month while Odin had his various medical procedures and healed, and finally got to bring him home on the 4th of July. He was a little over an hour away from me, but I would have driven across the country and back to get him if I had to."
After a bit of exploring at his new abode, Odin cuddled up to his human mom and started rumbling with his adorable purrs as if he knew he was finally where he belonged.
"He's a super cuddle-bug and follows me wherever I go. He wants to know where I am at all times and will cry if he can't see me. Otherwise he chirps. You can have a whole conversation with him chirping," Jamie told Love Meow.
"He's so sweet I can't fathom how he survived outside as long as he did. My vet thinks he is around eight years old."
"Odin is, of course, Thor's father in Norse lore. But the story goes that he willingly gave up his eye to gain wisdom," Jamie added.
"While I'm sure it wasn't willingly, I like to think that maybe when my Odin lost his eye, he gained the wisdom to know that Chris, Nicole, June and Colleen were there to help him and that every medical procedure he went through was so that he could have a better life."
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