When rescuers discovered Samuel, a cat in dire condition, they feared it was already too late to save him. Samuel had spent much of his life in a cramped cat carrier, leading to severe malnutrition and numerous health problems.
His eyes were swollen shut due to mange when he was brought to BARС, a Houston-based municipal animal shelter. Facing a grim prognosis, Samuel was scheduled for euthanasia once the shelter’s required holding period ended.
Originally from a hoarding situation in Detroit, Samuel had been isolated from humans and other animals for two years. Just hours before his scheduled euthanasia, an employee at BARС shared a photo of the frail and sick cat online.
Luckily for Samuel, Leslie Raines, a veterinary technician in the Houston area, was home sick that day and saw the post. “Someone had posted a picture of a really skinny cat that tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
I knew that wouldn’t help his chances of leaving the shelter, and he just looked so pathetic,” Raines shared with The Dodo. Determined to help, she turned to rescue groups for support, offering to foster Samuel if she could get the necessary backing.
With little time to act, the Save A Purrfect Cat Rescue (SAPCR) team brought Samuel into their care. A client of Raines volunteered to transport the ailing cat to safety.
“She honestly thought he was going to die in the car,” Raines recalled, noting the cat’s fragile state during the journey.
Once at the veterinary office, Samuel’s treatment began immediately. His weakened body was ridden with mange, and he bore pressure sores from confinement in the small carrier.
Despite his precarious health and appearance, Raines held onto hope. Her friend reassured her, saying, “I promise you there is a beautiful cat underneath all this, and we’re going to find him.”
As he began to gain weight and recover his sight, Samuel’s behavior changed. Initially shy and cautious in his new, comfortable surroundings, he slowly ventured out from behind the couch to explore.
“As he started coming out of his shell more and more, it was as if he had to learn how to be a cat,” Raines explained. “He didn’t know how to play. If you put him on a piece of furniture he would get down, and walking on the floor was like hot coals.”
Over the ensuing months, as Samuel’s glossy black and white fur grew in, he still grappled with some fears. “His shadow surprised him every time he saw it, and his reflection in glass windows freaked him out,” Raines noted.
When it was finally time for Samuel to meet potential adopters nearly a year later, he initially reverted to his earlier apprehensive self around new people.
Despite the efforts of his loving foster mom, there always seemed to be something missing—until Bryan Smith came across Samuel’s photo on PetFinder.
Samuel reminded Bryan of the Maine Coon he had lost to cancer the previous year. Their first meeting was transformative for both.
“The day I met Bryan, we brought Samuel to the clinic, and Bryan just sat down on the floor next to the kennel, talking to him.
Samuel’s expression was entirely different—he just relaxed,” Raines recalled. Bryan’s calm demeanor and gentle approach put Samuel at ease.
Initially skeptical, Raines was convinced when Samuel himself made a decision. “At one point, he came over and mewed at me, then walked over to Bryan. It was as if he was telling me, ‘This is it,'” she added.
In just one year, Samuel had evolved into the handsome, fluffy cat he was meant to be. Now living happily with his new dad, the two have begun healing together.
Samuel has overcome his fear of furniture and enjoys jumping onto the bed and dining room chairs. He contentedly kneads his paws whenever Smith assures him that he’s a good boy.
Comfortable and loved, Samuel now enjoys watching squirrels through the window, unconcerned by his own reflection.
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