When passersby discovered a taped shut box that clearly had something living inside it, they knew they had to do something.
They were afraid of what they might find, but opened it nonetheless.
Their hearts broke when they opened the box to find a sick little kitten huddled in the corner.
Keep reading to find out what happened next!
A Sad Sight
Some cruel stranger had put this innocent kitten in a box and duct taped it shut.
The kitten was clearly very sick, looking severely malnourished with his eyes closed shut from infections.
Onlookers couldn’t believe who could do such a thing, but they knew what they were going to do about it.
They made phone calls, looking for help, and quickly brought the kitten to The Cats at Long Street.
He was in good hands now, but the battle wasn’t over yet.
A Warrior’s Heart
The rescue quickly discovered that this kitten, now named Waffle Fry, was going to need a lot of attention.
He was anemic, covered in fleas, and, worst of all, had feline panleukopenia.
The odds were against him, but Waffle Fry was determined to live, and the rescue was going to do everything they could to help him.
Miraculously, Waffle Fry pulled through and survived the gravest of his illnesses.
Now, he was about to take on a new task: finding a forever home!
A Chance Encounter
Waffle Fry had survived feline panleukopenia, but his illnesses had taken a toll on him.
At only 6 months old, he had already piled up more than 40 pages worth of vet records.
He now had special needs that made the rescue a little more cautious with who they allowed to have the privilege of adopting this sweet boy.
Then one day, the rescue got a call from a woman named Nisa.
Nisa had recently lost her beloved cat, AJ, in a way that took her by complete surprise.
It was heartbreaking to lose AJ so early in his life, but Nisa knew what her next move needed to be.
“I knew AJ couldn’t be replaced,” Nisa said. “But, the only way I could add a positive thing to the negative was to save another life.”
Nisa told the rescue her story, and shared that she was looking to adopt a cat that was having trouble getting adopted.
The rescue immediately had a special someone in mind…
A Perfect Fit
The rescue told Nisa Waffle Fry’s story, then suggested she come and meet him.
Nisa was understandably hesitant at first, considering she recently had to work through a medical battle with AJ that broke her heart in the end.
“I thought my heart wasn’t ready,” Nisa said. “But, I slept on it and thought hard about why I felt that way.”
In the morning, Nisa realized that any pet’s health could randomly take a turn for the worse like AJ’s did, whether they come with a medical past or not.
She was definitely a little afraid, but knew it was worth giving Waffle Fry a fair shot.
It didn’t take her long to realize she had made the right decision.
“I saw this tiny, boogery, watery eyed little kitten,” Nisa said. “And he came up to me and just started purring and snuggling and licking my ear. I fell in love instantly.”
It seemed the two were a perfect match, and Nisa couldn’t wait to get Waffle Fry home!
Homeward Bound
Waffle Fry settled in very quickly to his new forever home with his mama and new fur sibling, Windy.
After everything he had been through, this was a very welcome change.
All he wanted to do was run around, be free, and play.
Nisa and Windy were more than happy to let Waffle Fry play to his heart’s content.
He still had a runny nose and would lose his breath often, but Nisa loved him no matter what, right from the start.
Happily Ever After
Now, Waffle Fry spends his days running around the house and climbing his own personal climbing wall that Nisa made him.
“His favorite thing is to play,” Nisa said. “He doesn’t care about food much because he can’t smell it since his nose is usually pretty stuffy.”
When he takes playtime breaks, Nisa likes to dress him up.
Then, he gets right on back to playing!
“He’ll play with anything,” Nisa said. “He’ll jump in the empty trash can, he climbs on the shower curtain and swings like tarzan.”
While he wasn’t a cuddler at first, getting a little older has softened him.
“He also oddly enough likes water,” Nisa said. “He’ll scream if you turn the water on and don’t let him play with it.”
When he tuckers himself out from bouncing off the walls, he likes to snuggle up to Nisa and give her kisses.
Waffle Fry completes Nisa’s family, and she couldn’t be happier that she decided to give him a chance.
Click here to follow Waffle Fry and Windy on Instagram and get a glimpse at their daily games!