When a stubborn feral cat suddenly went missing, a local woman was determined to find him.
Little did she know, this cat would change her life forever.
Keep reading to find out how one woman’s kindness and patience helped this stubborn cat start a new life– one full of love, fashion, and unlikely friends.
From feral to fashionista, this cat was a whirlwind of surprises!
Sweet & Spicy
Yazmin, owner of Mr. Snow’s Bowties and founder of Tips and Whiskers, was feeding a colony of twenty plus stray cats in Ontario, California. One particular cat caught Yazmin’s attention.
“He was always just so sassy. He was just very special from the beginning,” recalled Yazmin.
The white cat with stunning blue eyes was fiesty, hissy, and feral.
Then one day the sassy white cat disappeared. Yazmin couldn’t help but worry that something had happened to him.
Yazmin was determined to him. Little did she know, he was much closer than she thought!
A Troubling Past
Yazmin was in disbelief when she found Mr. Snow. He was down the street at a mechanic shop, lounging in the back of an abandoned car.
“This aggressive cat that never let me touch him gets up, goes to this mechanic, and lets him pet him,” said Yazmin.
The mechanic shared Mr. Snow’s story. Mr. Snow was once a part of this man’s family, adopted as a kitten for their daughter.
But when a baby was due to arrive, Mr. Snow was removed from the house.
Not only had Mr. Snow been evicted from his home, but he was hurt. He had multiple injuries, exposing bone in his leg and tail.
Yazmin knew he needed medical attention, but when she attempted to put him in the carrier, he escaped and ran out of sight.
Hope at Last
Once again, Yazmin found herself searching for the sassy white cat. After a week on the run, she was relieved to find Mr. Snow back at the colony.
She was able to successfully trap him and get him the medical care he desperately needed.
After a partial tail amputation and corrective measures for nerve damage, Mr. Snow was happily accepted into foster care with another rescuer.
He would remain in foster care for the next year, becoming very bonded to another foster cat named Leon.
Sadly, a year had passed and Yazmin was unable to find the pair a home.
“He was still semi-feral. He was going to need a very, very special home. Second, no one wanted to adopt him because he was FIV positive,” said Yazmin.
A Shocking Diagnoses
FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system and may make a cat more vulnerable to other infections.
But Yazmin wasn’t ready to give up. She knew an FIV positive cat can live a long and healthy life with the right care!
Although Yazmin already had a house full of dogs, she knew what she needed to do.
“After seeing them there for a year without getting adopted, we took Leon and Mr. Snow with us,” said Yazmin.
And so, Mr. Snow and Leon would be joining Yazmin, her husband, and their five dogs.
A Cry for Help
A few months before Mr. Snow and Leon would arrive at their new home, Yazmin found herself in an alley confronted with a low growl and a loud bark.
“The next thing I know, something was tugging at my pants.” recalled Yazmin.
It was a starving pit bull – skin and bones, desperate for help. Everything about her bore the signs of a bait dog used for dog fighting.
Yazmin didn’t think she possibly had room for another animal in her house. But here was an animal in need, tugging at her pants.
Foe Turned Friend
Yazmin scooped up the former bait dog, later named Luna, and brought her home where she would be loved and safe.
While Luna had become friends with the other animals in Yazmin’s home, Yazmin worried about how Luna would react to the introduction of two more cats.
Much to Yazmin’s surprise, Luna warmed up to Mr. Snow and Leon beyond her most hopeful expectations.
“Right away Luna started bonding with Snow. It was really crazy. They were just together all the time,” recalled Yazmin. “I felt like Snow made Luna feel better. It put her at ease to have a friend.”
Luna and Mr. Snow became best friends, and remain best friends to this day!
Happily Ever After
It’s been almost a decade since Mr. Snow was rescued and though he is sometimes sassy, he is no longer hissy or feral.
His beautiful eyes shine brighter than ever in his late age.
Full of love, Mr. Snow enjoys being Yazmin’s fashion model for Mr. Snow’s Bowties.
Mr. Snow’s Bowties was created as a way for Yazmin to fund medical care and food for feral cats.
“Mr. Snow not only became my model for my effort,” said Yazmin, “he became the symbol for feral cats. Being an advocate for them. Being able to tell his story and tell people that feral cats deserve respect and love.”
Thanks to Yazmin, Mr. Snow has a story to tell – a very happy one.
“A cat on the street does deserve a second chance,” said Yazmin.
Thank you to Yazmin and all the rescuers caring for the feral cat communities!
Be sure to follow her and Mr. Snow on Instagram to see more of his glamour shots.
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Friday 9th of July 2021
I DEARLY LOVE a white, blue eyed, leucistic cat. They are somewhat rare. The kittens often have "clouds" of darker fur on top of their heads. Sometimes these fade away with maturity. To me, nothing is more beautiful than this type of cat. I've only had one leucistic cat in my life, I named her Crystal because of her beautiful aquamarine eyes. I found her, at 5 months of age, at the dog pound in Pinellas County, Florida. She had been there for awhile, and I was told her price was dropped to $15 as she was going to be "timed out" the following day. I couldn't allow that travesty to happen, so she came home with me immediately. Being feral born, she wasn't friendly. Over the first year, she slowly began to trust me, the trust turned to love, and from that point onward, she never left my side. She loved to be carried with me, with her arms wrapped around my neck, and cuddled. I "wore" her like a sparkling diamond. When I had migraines, she would come into my dark bedroom and drape herself across my head. She knew. I loved her more than anything else on this Earth. It was just the two of us. I lost her at age 15. She had a bad stroke and lost all mobility. I had to do the unthinkable, say "Good-bye" to my darling. For many years I have trapped feral colonies for TVNR, and also trapped and tamed their feral litters, eventually taking them to the no-kill shelters for adoption. I do that in her memory. She remains in my heart after all these years. Love like that is hard to find. God bless you Crystal, wait for me. I'm coming and I want you to be there to meet me when I do. I love forever, Your Mama
Susan Bortolussi
Thursday 27th of May 2021
Beautiful story,so happy Snow and Luna were saved off the streets and now are loved .Thank you for all you do saving these precious animals.