A man found a kitten inside a bus but didn’t know that the kitten was about to change his life.
Around mid September, Mateo from the South of Spain was on his way to home when he heard what sounded like a kitten as he was passing by an auto shop.
He was able to trace the sound and locate the kitten inside a parked bus nearby. “I managed to find him inside the engine (compartment). I couldn’t see too much, but his meows sounded scared,” Mateo told us.
Mateo rushed to get some cat food and tried to use it to coax the kitten out, but it was to no avail. The tabby was so frightened by all the noises surrounding him that he refused to leave his hideout.
The gentleman left the food by the bus and returned later when things quieted down. He noticed that the food had been partially eaten, and there were adult cats in the area taunting the kitten.
“I put my gloves on and spent about three hours waiting for him to come out for more food I bought.”
With lots of patience and treats, Mateo managed to get the kitten to safety. He noticed right away that the tabby had badly infected eyes and was covered in battle scars and wounds.
“He was shaking and scare-meowing all the way to my house. When we got home, I put him down in my bathroom with a towel, and gave him food, water, and time to get used to the new environment.”
The tabby was a bit shaken after the ordeal but relieved to have a quiet space to decompress. He slowly warmed up to the presence of his rescuer and was even brave enough to accept a few pets.
Mateo who goes by mape14 on Reddit, reached out to the Reddit community to seek advice on how to care for the little stray.
“A lot of people gave me amazing advice. I took him to the vet and they gave him a full checkup and told me everything he was going through and how I could help him.”
When they got home from the vet, Mateo placed the kitten back in his comfy nest, and waited for him to feel comfortable enough to approach him.
“I sat next to him, letting him make the first move in order to gain some trust. When he fell asleep next to me, it was the moment he realized he was safe,” Mateo told us.
“He was shy at first but craved cuddles and care. I gave him as much attention as I could, and provided him with all that I could think of.”
The tabby started to make good gains, and his confidence rose. His eyes were clearing up and he no longer struggled with fleas.
Each day, Mateo found himself falling harder for the ginger kitten, whom he had named Cal after a Star Wars character.
“He’s a very curious, active and naughty boy who loves exploring around my house and getting into hidden places that I didn’t know I had,” Mateo told us.
“I installed a little camera in the room to watch him while I’m at work. He sleeps most of the time until I get home. When I open the front door, he starts meowing until I sit down next to him, and he climbs up onto my lap and falls asleep.”
“Cal has changed my life. The feeling of hearing his meow the moment I step inside my house fills me with joy that I’ve never experienced before. He’s definitely staying with me forever.”
Mateo never expected he would rescue a kitten on his way to home, let alone keeping one. Now, he comes home to his best friend Cal greeting him at the door and following him around the house.
