A Sick Stray Cat Waited by a Market. One Woman Kept Coming Back for Him.

When Renatinho came home from the veterinary clinic, he fell asleep with his whole body stretched out. It was the first time Renata Kerlane had seen him sleep that way. A month earlier, she’d been bringing him food beside a neighborhood market.

There had been days at the clinic when she wasn’t sure he’d make it home. Now she got to watch him do something as ordinary as take a nap.

She kept coming back to the market

Renata found him in late October 2025 in Sobral, in northeastern Brazil. He was thin and could barely open his eyes. She already had other animals at home and needed somewhere safe for him to go.

In the meantime, she brought him food and water. When she went back the next day, she could see that he’d managed to open his eyes. He still needed a place to go, but she could keep coming back while she looked for one.

Soon, he began to recognize her. When he saw her coming, he’d meow and walk toward her. Renata initially hoped to find someone who could take him in temporarily. Once she shared his condition online, people chipped in so she could get him to a veterinarian.

Alley Cat Allies puts the need for care plainly. “If you trap a community cat because she is sick or injured, the cat must see a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.” If you find a cat in that situation, you can start by calling a clinic and describing what you see.

The first few days at the clinic

Renatinho was estimated to be about 3 years old. He weighed less than 3 pounds. At Clínica Univet, veterinarian Iara Linhares found that he had severe mange, anemia, dehydration, malnutrition and several infections.

He was admitted on Nov. 1. The team began treating him with medication and kept checking his condition with frequent tests.

The Merck Veterinary Manual explains the skin disease this way. “Mange is caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin of otherwise healthy animals.” Renatinho had several illnesses at once, so the skin around his eyes was only one part of what the clinic had to treat.

The first few days were the hardest. His first medicated bath let the team see how thin he was underneath. Renata was still waiting to see how he’d respond to treatment.

The small signs she had to go on

Renatinho still wanted food and sought affection. Those were signs Renata could see for herself. Inside the clinic, the tests began to improve, and he started to gain weight. The change took time. He still needed the clinic to keep monitoring him through November.

People who’d first seen him in Renata’s posts followed his progress. He’d originally been called Halloween. The people following his recovery helped choose Renatinho, a name that honored the woman who’d been bringing him food before anyone knew how the story would end.

The clinic discharged him on Dec. 1, a month after he’d been admitted. Renata took him home and adopted him.

What she saw in that first nap

When he stretched out to sleep, Renata took it as a sign that he felt safe. As he grew stronger, he became playful and liked to stay close to her. The cat who used to walk toward her when she brought food now followed her around the house.

His care continued at home. O Dia reported that he’d been diagnosed with feline asthma during treatment and still needed veterinary follow-up.

VCA Animal Hospitals describes what that diagnosis can mean over time. “If your cat has been diagnosed with feline asthma, they will require long-term medication, possibly for life.”

If you’re bringing a cat home after a hospital stay, ask the vet what to watch for and when to come back. For Renatinho, coming home meant he could start getting used to the ordinary parts of life with Renata while his care continued.

The people who kept showing up

Renata was recovering from depression when she found Renatinho. She later said that caring for him gave her a sense of purpose again. In the beginning, she’d hoped he’d get well enough for someone to take him in. In the end, the place he settled into was hers.

The page where she shared his recovery now helps other animals get care. When Renata posts about a sick cat or dog that needs a vet, followers help pay for treatment. Some of the people who once waited for news about Renatinho are still there when another animal needs help.

If his story made you think of someone who keeps showing up for a stray, send it to them.

Also read:

A Stray Cat Was Too Weak to Make a Sound. The People Who Found Him Brought Him Home