A Stray Cat Was Too Scared to Eat. Then He Fell Asleep in His Rescuer’s Arms
The person who found Fu Bao opened a can of cat food and set it in front of him. He’d been looking for food along a busy road, but now he stayed tucked into the corner of his carrier. The food sat untouched.
His rescuer had spent the night looking for him. The first time they’d tried to get close, Fu Bao had slipped down a narrow path and disappeared. Even with two injured front legs, he knew those alleys well enough to lose someone.
By the third day, the same person was holding him as he fell asleep. As Fu Bao dozed, he nestled deeper into their arms.
It took all night to find him
In the rescue account shared on the Paws Nook YouTube channel, Fu Bao’s caregiver describes leaving food nearby and settling into a spot where they could keep watch. When they found him again, his fur blended so well with the bushes that they almost missed him. A slight movement gave him away.
The rescuer realized they’d need another person. “It was difficult for me to control the cat alone, so I called a friend to help,” the caregiver said in the video’s subtitles.
Together, they got Fu Bao into a carrier. Once he calmed down, the rescuer took him to a veterinary hospital. According to the rescue account, X-rays confirmed fractures in both front legs, and the veterinarian found that his muscles had weakened. The vet advised giving him time to rest at home before making a treatment plan.
The first meal he finished
On the third day, Fu Bao was still hiding in corners. That morning, his caregiver woke up and found he’d finished his canned food.
For a cat arriving in an unfamiliar home, a quiet room gives them space to come out of the carrier at their own pace. Cats Protection advises, “Avoid crowding around the carrier or trying to lift them out.”
Later that day, Fu Bao let his caregiver hold him. He passed up the treats they offered, but he started to purr when they gently stroked his paws. Before long, he was asleep.
By day seven, the caregiver came home to find Fu Bao waiting on the sofa.
One leg began to bend
A specialist visit led to a rehabilitation plan. On day 16, a veterinarian worked on the alignment of Fu Bao’s joints and instructed his caregiver to do regular stretches with him at home. Three days later, the caregiver gave him his name.
The stretches were part of a plan made for Fu Bao. As VCA Animal Hospitals explains, “These programs gradually increase in intensity and take into account each pet’s condition, stage of healing, and current abilities and limitations.”
On day 53, the caregiver saw Fu Bao bend one leg. A few days later, they spoke about how much time he still needed. “I would stay with him all the way, hoping he could get better,” they said in the video’s subtitles.
By day 67, Fu Bao could stretch his front legs farther forward. By day 91, he was starting to bear some weight on them.
About a month later, the caregiver reported that Fu Bao had been hospitalized with feline panleukopenia. After he recovered from the illness, they got him a wheelchair to help him get around.
The little sofa became his spot
Between appointments and exercises, Fu Bao found his places around the house. He liked lying in the sun. Two of the household cats sometimes groomed him when he had trouble doing it himself. Of all the beds his caregiver brought home, he kept coming back to the little sofa.
By day 356, Fu Bao had spent nearly a year with the person who’d searched for him through the night. Back in the alley, he’d slipped out of sight as soon as they came close. At home, when he went a while without seeing them, he called out.
Share Fu Bao’s story with someone who knows how much it means when a frightened animal finally feels at home.
Also read:
A Cat Collapsed While Walking Through a Park. Someone Came Back for Him
