Hero, Paul's unforgettable feral cat | Change One Life Cat Sanctuary

Hero was our very special and spoiled feral cat. He started to look very thin and weak so when Paul noticed his condition was getting worse by the minute, we started to plan ways to trap him.

Although he’d wait for Paul to get his daily meals, he would never come close enough to be petted.

We were determined to rescue him but sadly we ran out of time. He had his last meal, walked away and never came back.

Devastated by the loss, Paul wrote:

I fed Hero every single day since he was a kitten. I brought him food 3 times a day over the last 8 months.

Lately, he had become too weak to even walk but he’d come to greet me and get his food anyway.

He used to get leftovers from garbage bins when he was a kitten but since we met, he knew there was no need to struggle anymore!

He was always there happily waiting for me, every single day of his short life. He wouldn’t roam or get in trouble with other cats. He could be seen peacefully taking naps next to the pavement or under the parked cars, from morning till dusk.

The last time I saw him, he was so weak he could barely stand up but he was determined to do it and so he slowly approached me.

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That day, he came closer to me than ever before, it felt almost as if he wanted to say his goodbyes.

It was time for Hero to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. I did not know it then, but he did.

The day after we took this photo, he walked away at dusk and never returned.

RIP Hero – August 30, 2013.

Every night I do my rounds to feed my feral colonies I pass by his place. It feels and looks so empty!

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Hero is not waiting for me anymore, but his memory will live forever in my heart.

Hero taught me about the amazing dignity that (unlike humans) animals have. He taught me there’s a time for everything in this life: there’s a time to be happy, a time to fight back and then there’s a time to accept your fate and just give in.

Thank you Hero! … I’ve cried so much for you but I’ve also learned so much from you.