In 2016, an animal lover came across a distressed and abandoned cat. The poor creature’s fur was so tangled and knotted that it resembled dreadlocks. The dedicated rescue team worked tirelessly to carefully remove two pounds of matted fur. This sad state was the result of the cat’s owner, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, being admitted into a nursing home. The Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania shared photos of the cat, drawing attention to her plight.

The center explained, “This unfortunate cat was brought to our clinic when her elderly owner had to move to a nursing home. She had endured years of severe matting, which had been neglected for far too long. Our medical team skillfully removed the pounds of tangled fur, and it’s safe to say that this cat is now feeling immensely better!” The cat, named Hidey, was rescued by Paul Russell, a distant relative of the cat’s owner. Russell had previously saved another cat when the elderly gentleman fell too ill to care for them.

Russell recounted the discovery to Dodo, saying, “When they moved him to the nursing home, I realized, ‘Hey, he has a cat.’ The house was still open, so I went down and left some food for the cat until we figured out what to do. Then someone mentioned he had a second cat. So, I started searching around, and suddenly this large creature darted out from under the bed and ran down to the cellar. I thought, ‘What was that?’ Initially, I thought it was a cat with a blanket draped over her that she had dragged down. But no – it turned out to be Hidey. She had hidden in the corner of the cellar. I’m down there with a flashlight looking – it was almost like a horror movie. And I found her huddled in the corner. Probably very scared. Probably in a lot of pain.”

The animal rescue team was astounded by the years of neglect that led to the cat’s dreadlocked fur. They suspected that the cat had become too overweight to groom herself properly. To ensure her safety, they decided to use anesthesia while carefully shaving off the tangled fur. The shelter released a statement, stating, “She will be looked after by a distant relative of her previous owner and will finally have the opportunity for a happy and healthy life. Please remember to not only check on the elderly in your community, but also look out for their animals to prevent situations like this from occurring in the future.”