Homeless Cat Opens Its Eyes For The First Time In Months, Stuns Everyone With Their Beauty
Cotton the cat was alone on the streets, starving, disease-ridden and close to death. His eyes were scabbed over with mange and he was being eaten alive by mites, finding any kind of food without the use of his eyes was next to impossible. But then his guardian angel arrived. Carmen Weinberg, founder of Animal Friends Project Inc., was heartbroken when she received him, and immediately took him under her care.
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
“He couldn’t even see or open his eyes because the mites were so bad,” Carmen told The Dodo. “It must have been so scary for him out there not being able to see. He was all alone and so skinny because he couldn’t find food.”
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Having cleaned him up, Carmen helped Cotton get his strength back by feeding him hearty meals, while tending to his mange with creams, coconut oil, and various antibiotics. “We could just see his tense body start to relax as the days passed,” she said. “He was finally able to rest without scratching so much.”
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
“Cats like Cotton depend on people to heal, because they cannot always ask for help … I’m sure so many people passed him by because of how sick he looked, but he was just waiting for someone to give him a chance.”
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
With lots of care, Cotton has finally opened his eyes
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
The bond between the pair grew strong as Cotton, still unable to see, began to sense that he was being given a second chance at life. The transformation was incredible as Carmen’s care and nourishment healed his myriad health issues, but the day that he was finally able to open his eyes again was a truly beautiful moment. “We thought he was blind, and that he would be blind forever, “Carmen explained. “The vet thought that even when his eyes recovered they might be damaged, but they weren’t. It was such a wonderful surprise. His eyes were just beautiful.”
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
With one eye a vivid blue and the other one hazel, Cotton’s transformation from filthy bag-of-bones to a healthy and dashing tomcat was complete. Surprised as anyone to get his vision back, he took to life with Carmen so well that she was simply unable to give him up for adoption, not that he was short of suitors! “We got so many applications for him due to his looks, but in the end, I saw how attached to me he had become,” she said. “I didn’t have the heart to put him through another big change. He had already been through so much.”
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Image credits: Carmen Morales Weinberg
Carmen’s work is vitally important to the cats of South Florida, where there is a serious overpopulation problem. “I decided to start Animal Friends Project after I saw the huge amount of homeless cats in South Florida,” she told Bored Panda. “Most of these cats needed to be spayed and neutered and many were sick and injured and people and organizations did not seem to be doing much to help them. I imagined that by bringing awareness to this problem, people would become friends of the animals and would want to help them.”
“My husband, son, daughter and sister help a lot and I have a few volunteers and fosters but I do most of the coordinating and work myself since I am the one that visits the low-income areas where most cats live. Problem is that I find sick animals every time I visit these communities and it is hard to do things like educating and fundraising while I am tending to the sick cats. Lots of driving around to vet visits.”
“My advice is to please not ignore them. Anyone can help animals. Many sick stray cats are friendly and it is very easy to put them in a crate and take them to a vet. People can fundraise to pay for medical care. At least take photos and start asking for help.”
Working tirelessly for her feline friends, Carmen’s non-profit has provided Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) services to hundreds of community cats in the area, but there is much more to be done! To help, you can donate here or perhaps foster or adopt a kitty yourself. Check out Carmen’s Facebook or Instagram for more details!
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Share on FacebookI think every species is when they have the will to survive
Load More Replies...Ahhh bless him! Glad Cotton has found a good forever home. We rescued a cat years ago - she only had 3 legs and no ears due to maggots on infection - she was the sweetest little thing and we miss her every day! Never write of an animal - they will always surprise you!! Abbie-5c3f...9ba5de.jpg
our girls were also terribly sick when we found them in street, rainy autumn two kittens were hiding under car, were just skin and bones, couldn't open eyes, couldn't breath with nose. for month they were breathing like little monsters with throat sounds, hitting heads on furniture, we fight their fever, infections, mites and many other problems. sadly we couldnt save eyes completely, one is only seeing shadows, second have one healthy eye, but now they are so beautiful, interesting cats, active, funny, loving. so i also wanted to say, whatever problems they have you can save them, you can make them beautiful, happy animals if you try and they will die in suffer if you look away because of their ugly sicknesses. and it's not only about cats.
Load More Replies...Poor thing - what a transformation - thank you for giving this lovely cat it's life back.
She's going to have to watch his intake. Cats that have been starved often go to the other extreme. But, my, he cleaned up nicely.
Load More Replies...We rescued this little guy today. He was tossed outside. He's safe and on the mend now.********************************************************** 49948364_1...9159e1.jpg
You are good people, from another animal rescuer, thank you, my hope for humanity has been saved for 1 more day.
Load More Replies...You are a wonderful human being Carmen. As a vet nurse myself I know the time and patience and perseverance it would have taken to get Cotton to where he is now. Huge love to you and the very lucky animals in your care <3
Stories like this are a rollercoaster, they turn me from a cold metalhead to an emotional wreck, i'm just glad they rescued and now look at him, look at those eyes. Beautiful, what a handsome boy.
That's an endangered cat race! He is a Turkish Van cat I think, with typical 2 colors eyes and long snout and large body. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_cat
Pretty sure he's Khao Manee. I have two females that look identical to him. Turkish Van are a long haired breed, the Angora are the ones I saw that were pure white, but their tails are much fluffier than the Khao Manee . Khao-Mane-...9ec4df.png
Load More Replies...OMW I actually TEARED UP at this story... it is just so beautiful... <3
Everyone involved in this rescue, you are angels and heroes and from a fellow animal rescuer and all animal lovers all over the world, what you do for these animals is nothing short of amazing. Love for you all.I will be donating shortly.
I love him very much. Thank you for posting this one. No joke, I actually did a tiny gasp when I saw the change.
This brought a big smile to my face. Carmen is a beautiful person and Cotton knew that.
Yes, she is. I'm thankful to both her and the man who took the trouble to take Cotton in when he was still covered in mange and made sure he got help: Joe.
Load More Replies...Oh poor little thing! Fantastic that he's recovered and what a beauty he is! May your life now be wonderful little Cotton.
Thank you so much to help this poor little animal!!! Too much people care a s**t and that is just crule.
Auhhhhhh such a cutie pie. I love cats so much and miss my sweetie of 14 years, we had to euthanize her when she had kidney failure and wouldn’t eat and the vet could do nothing for her. She was also a rescue from a friends new house he was showing me and she started scratching at the front door.
Your a savior too...she had 14 of the best...and your reward will be when you get to heaven and she runs to meet you at the Rainbow Bridge......yesssssss yesssss yesssss
Load More Replies...I have a 1 eyed cat, he was a rescued kitten we had but after he had his eye removed as a result of infection we took him in. 15 years old and still going strong.
Such a beautiful boy now...all he needed was a chance and some love! God bless that wonderful lady who saved him and gave him the life he and all animals deserve...happy and loved!
Bless all those who helped this kitty in need! Thank you! He's so handsome and deserving of love!
You are an angel for doing the right thing. I'm sure you will get tons and tons of love from this beautiful darling. I don't know who is luckier: you or him. What a treasure. Have a wonderful life together!
What an absolutely stunning kitty. Good on the people who rescued him.
This made me cry. It just takes one person to make an effort. In this case, it was the initial rescuer. He took the first step, and then Cotton found his angels. Beautiful animal.
This is such a great story. These rescue animals really do change in front of your eyes and this one is a great example. And those eyes! I had a cat with eyes like that once, just beautiful. Eerie at night as they reflect different color with lights.
That picture of him pulling at that black cat's ear though...Hahahaha XD I'm so happy for you Cotton!!!!!!
Absolutely AMAZING transformation. Beautiful cat. Shows what a little bit of love and caring can do. 🐈 💖
I literally gasped when I saw the beautiful eyes! And once Cotton put on some weight, he became one beautiful kitty for sure!! <33
Van cats are fairly rare, and people who own them in Turkey need to watch out that they aren't stolen. Be careful.
HE is absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad there are people like you in this world.
Hes a Van CAT OMG thank you for saving Cotton regardless of eye color just look at him now YOUR ROCK thank you thank you thank you.
I remember when I was 16 years old, My brother found a white cat outside with eyes like that. He named it F'k eyes as it's name.
Cute, usually on a white cat the blue eye is the side of the cats ear that is deaf. So the blue eye side that cat is deaf in that sides ear. it is a fact. I have the book on cats, it says so in that book.
I love life, so much more since being in remission......beauty is so much more beautiful......and ugliness so much more pathetic. God creates the beauty in healing and to me it is a message to help others heal, whether it be body, mind, or spirit....or all three.
Thank you for sharing Cotton's pictures &story. What a wonderful ending to a horrific story. Thanks.
I think this kitty was rescued out of real love and dedication. He is absolutely stunning now that he has his health back in order. What an uplifting story. Bless everyone who helped in all ways to mend him, and show us what a beauty he truly is. Bless him for many years to come.
Cats never fail to amaze me! With hideous unbearable conditions to paradise! My son did the same thing and she is an amazingly beautiful tortoise shell stunner☘️💚☘️
This story made me cry. I will never understand why people can be so cruel to animals! They have just as much right to be treated fairly as we humans do. This cat is stunning by the way!
You are truly an angel. I don't even have words for what you did for this gorgeous kitty.
Yin e yang. Black and white. Blue and green. Day and night. Earth and sky.
I can't believe that transformation. That's so beautiful that there was someone who saw beyond all that filth and disease and cared for him. Shows you just how much change nurture and love can make in something or someone.
I vacationed on Sanibel Island (longer ago than I like to think about) and even back then they had a TNVR program--every stray I saw was happy,healthy and fit; the hotels, motels and restaurants knew them all by name and made sure they stayed healthy. But they told me mainland Florida had a terrible problem. And this was before the hurricanes that made the national news. Good for Carmen. May she have lots of hands-on help.
Thank God for good people and kind souls like Carmen Morales and the unidentified individual who found Cotton and contacted Carmen.
What an amazing recovery. He was a very lucky boy to be found and rescued by that gent! X
What a gorgeous cat! I'm so glad he was rescued... and is a very happy, beautiful kitty now!
We can all help. Never buy an animal, always adopt. I currently have nine rescues ( fourdogs and five cats ) I’d never ever pay a breeder to make more unwanted pets.
OMG, when he opens his eyes, it's like a fairytale reward. The Holy Grail in the guise of a poor neglected stray. Kudos to you, Carmen!
What an awesome person to share Love with this beautiful Cat. Because patience,medical care,home care,vet care Cotton has come from close to death to the wonderful and beautiful Tom cat . Now he can see,feels Love and has a forever home
Im more of a dog person. Possibly because ive never had a cat but oh my god he is so beautiful. The change is just jaw dropping. So glad hes safe and happy now
Wonderful bond! She saved his life . He wouldn't want to go elsewhere it wouldn't be right for him.
Thank you for being such an amazing person! Cotton was beautiful before he opened his eye but, WOW, WHAT A LOOKER when he opened them♥️♥️♥️♥️
We have 3 cats, well taken care of, they are our joy! One of them is blind but self-reliant...The story of Cotton is beautiful and optimistic but how many people would react like you? Congratulations!!! Adam 20180625_1...58d6ba.jpg
What a wonderful story, with a GREAT ending! That poor cat looked so bad when she found him, and it is amazing how beautiful he is now.
Bless you. What an amazing transformation. It took time patience, and love to do this, and your reward was him opening his beautiful eyes enabling him to see his savior. He is truly a gorgeous boy. Thanks for saving him.
God love you! The love and attention you gave Well done! that sweet sweet baby!
God bless you all for your kindness to this innocent suffering kitty! What a happy, beautiful ending to a heartwarming story!
Kudos to everyone involved in this precious boy's recovry. There are kind and caring people in this world, Thank God.
Looks exactly like my brother's cat when we were kids. Same eyes and everything. Unfortunately we lost Fred when him and a neighbors dog got into a fight. He was an awesome cat. :(
God bless and love her for loving and caring so much for the helpless innocent creatures that desperately need help. What an amazing transformation Cotton came into. Wow!
What an absolutely beautiful cat. So happy to see this transformation. Thank you for sharing it.
Carmen will get a special welcome in heaven one day for all of her wonderful work on behalf of homeless cats! Cotton IS indeed beautiful, but more than beautiful is the wonderful home he now has!!
If you think about it under every outer skin that is mistreated, abused and denied a decent life is a beautiful sole.... it just has to be taken care of to bring out the outer beauty as well as the inner beauty... one more baby that needed humans attention to be alive again....
he will love you forever.. you are his angel. What a handsome boy you have.. oxoxo
Wonderful story! God Bless Cotton’s rescuers! He is just breathtakingly beautiful!
The transformation is unreal! Wouldn't hesitate to keep him either.
Damn onion ninjas! I'm so grateful to Carmen for taking him, healing him and keeping him. Another soul saved. Wish we could take in all the cats needing help :(
Congrats to this wonderful woman and her determination to save our less fortunate friends. This transformation is extraordinary and it is mostly thanks to you and the kind man that saved beautiful Cotton from dying! Thank you for existing
He certainly grew to become a handsome cat and what a mammoth effort Carmen put in! Well done Carmen.
Certainly grew to become a very handsome cat what a mammoth effort Carmen put it! Well done.
Mange is a horrible infection. Thank heaven Cotton found an angel to get him well.
I think every species is when they have the will to survive
Load More Replies...Ahhh bless him! Glad Cotton has found a good forever home. We rescued a cat years ago - she only had 3 legs and no ears due to maggots on infection - she was the sweetest little thing and we miss her every day! Never write of an animal - they will always surprise you!! Abbie-5c3f...9ba5de.jpg
our girls were also terribly sick when we found them in street, rainy autumn two kittens were hiding under car, were just skin and bones, couldn't open eyes, couldn't breath with nose. for month they were breathing like little monsters with throat sounds, hitting heads on furniture, we fight their fever, infections, mites and many other problems. sadly we couldnt save eyes completely, one is only seeing shadows, second have one healthy eye, but now they are so beautiful, interesting cats, active, funny, loving. so i also wanted to say, whatever problems they have you can save them, you can make them beautiful, happy animals if you try and they will die in suffer if you look away because of their ugly sicknesses. and it's not only about cats.
Load More Replies...Poor thing - what a transformation - thank you for giving this lovely cat it's life back.
She's going to have to watch his intake. Cats that have been starved often go to the other extreme. But, my, he cleaned up nicely.
Load More Replies...We rescued this little guy today. He was tossed outside. He's safe and on the mend now.********************************************************** 49948364_1...9159e1.jpg
You are good people, from another animal rescuer, thank you, my hope for humanity has been saved for 1 more day.
Load More Replies...You are a wonderful human being Carmen. As a vet nurse myself I know the time and patience and perseverance it would have taken to get Cotton to where he is now. Huge love to you and the very lucky animals in your care <3
Stories like this are a rollercoaster, they turn me from a cold metalhead to an emotional wreck, i'm just glad they rescued and now look at him, look at those eyes. Beautiful, what a handsome boy.
That's an endangered cat race! He is a Turkish Van cat I think, with typical 2 colors eyes and long snout and large body. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_cat
Pretty sure he's Khao Manee. I have two females that look identical to him. Turkish Van are a long haired breed, the Angora are the ones I saw that were pure white, but their tails are much fluffier than the Khao Manee . Khao-Mane-...9ec4df.png
Load More Replies...OMW I actually TEARED UP at this story... it is just so beautiful... <3
Everyone involved in this rescue, you are angels and heroes and from a fellow animal rescuer and all animal lovers all over the world, what you do for these animals is nothing short of amazing. Love for you all.I will be donating shortly.
I love him very much. Thank you for posting this one. No joke, I actually did a tiny gasp when I saw the change.
This brought a big smile to my face. Carmen is a beautiful person and Cotton knew that.
Yes, she is. I'm thankful to both her and the man who took the trouble to take Cotton in when he was still covered in mange and made sure he got help: Joe.
Load More Replies...Oh poor little thing! Fantastic that he's recovered and what a beauty he is! May your life now be wonderful little Cotton.
Thank you so much to help this poor little animal!!! Too much people care a s**t and that is just crule.
Auhhhhhh such a cutie pie. I love cats so much and miss my sweetie of 14 years, we had to euthanize her when she had kidney failure and wouldn’t eat and the vet could do nothing for her. She was also a rescue from a friends new house he was showing me and she started scratching at the front door.
Your a savior too...she had 14 of the best...and your reward will be when you get to heaven and she runs to meet you at the Rainbow Bridge......yesssssss yesssss yesssss
Load More Replies...I have a 1 eyed cat, he was a rescued kitten we had but after he had his eye removed as a result of infection we took him in. 15 years old and still going strong.
Such a beautiful boy now...all he needed was a chance and some love! God bless that wonderful lady who saved him and gave him the life he and all animals deserve...happy and loved!
Bless all those who helped this kitty in need! Thank you! He's so handsome and deserving of love!
You are an angel for doing the right thing. I'm sure you will get tons and tons of love from this beautiful darling. I don't know who is luckier: you or him. What a treasure. Have a wonderful life together!
What an absolutely stunning kitty. Good on the people who rescued him.
This made me cry. It just takes one person to make an effort. In this case, it was the initial rescuer. He took the first step, and then Cotton found his angels. Beautiful animal.
This is such a great story. These rescue animals really do change in front of your eyes and this one is a great example. And those eyes! I had a cat with eyes like that once, just beautiful. Eerie at night as they reflect different color with lights.
That picture of him pulling at that black cat's ear though...Hahahaha XD I'm so happy for you Cotton!!!!!!
Absolutely AMAZING transformation. Beautiful cat. Shows what a little bit of love and caring can do. 🐈 💖
I literally gasped when I saw the beautiful eyes! And once Cotton put on some weight, he became one beautiful kitty for sure!! <33
Van cats are fairly rare, and people who own them in Turkey need to watch out that they aren't stolen. Be careful.
HE is absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad there are people like you in this world.
Hes a Van CAT OMG thank you for saving Cotton regardless of eye color just look at him now YOUR ROCK thank you thank you thank you.
I remember when I was 16 years old, My brother found a white cat outside with eyes like that. He named it F'k eyes as it's name.
Cute, usually on a white cat the blue eye is the side of the cats ear that is deaf. So the blue eye side that cat is deaf in that sides ear. it is a fact. I have the book on cats, it says so in that book.
I love life, so much more since being in remission......beauty is so much more beautiful......and ugliness so much more pathetic. God creates the beauty in healing and to me it is a message to help others heal, whether it be body, mind, or spirit....or all three.
Thank you for sharing Cotton's pictures &story. What a wonderful ending to a horrific story. Thanks.
I think this kitty was rescued out of real love and dedication. He is absolutely stunning now that he has his health back in order. What an uplifting story. Bless everyone who helped in all ways to mend him, and show us what a beauty he truly is. Bless him for many years to come.
Cats never fail to amaze me! With hideous unbearable conditions to paradise! My son did the same thing and she is an amazingly beautiful tortoise shell stunner☘️💚☘️
This story made me cry. I will never understand why people can be so cruel to animals! They have just as much right to be treated fairly as we humans do. This cat is stunning by the way!
You are truly an angel. I don't even have words for what you did for this gorgeous kitty.
Yin e yang. Black and white. Blue and green. Day and night. Earth and sky.
I can't believe that transformation. That's so beautiful that there was someone who saw beyond all that filth and disease and cared for him. Shows you just how much change nurture and love can make in something or someone.
I vacationed on Sanibel Island (longer ago than I like to think about) and even back then they had a TNVR program--every stray I saw was happy,healthy and fit; the hotels, motels and restaurants knew them all by name and made sure they stayed healthy. But they told me mainland Florida had a terrible problem. And this was before the hurricanes that made the national news. Good for Carmen. May she have lots of hands-on help.
Thank God for good people and kind souls like Carmen Morales and the unidentified individual who found Cotton and contacted Carmen.
What an amazing recovery. He was a very lucky boy to be found and rescued by that gent! X
What a gorgeous cat! I'm so glad he was rescued... and is a very happy, beautiful kitty now!
We can all help. Never buy an animal, always adopt. I currently have nine rescues ( fourdogs and five cats ) I’d never ever pay a breeder to make more unwanted pets.
OMG, when he opens his eyes, it's like a fairytale reward. The Holy Grail in the guise of a poor neglected stray. Kudos to you, Carmen!
What an awesome person to share Love with this beautiful Cat. Because patience,medical care,home care,vet care Cotton has come from close to death to the wonderful and beautiful Tom cat . Now he can see,feels Love and has a forever home
Im more of a dog person. Possibly because ive never had a cat but oh my god he is so beautiful. The change is just jaw dropping. So glad hes safe and happy now
Wonderful bond! She saved his life . He wouldn't want to go elsewhere it wouldn't be right for him.
Thank you for being such an amazing person! Cotton was beautiful before he opened his eye but, WOW, WHAT A LOOKER when he opened them♥️♥️♥️♥️
We have 3 cats, well taken care of, they are our joy! One of them is blind but self-reliant...The story of Cotton is beautiful and optimistic but how many people would react like you? Congratulations!!! Adam 20180625_1...58d6ba.jpg
What a wonderful story, with a GREAT ending! That poor cat looked so bad when she found him, and it is amazing how beautiful he is now.
Bless you. What an amazing transformation. It took time patience, and love to do this, and your reward was him opening his beautiful eyes enabling him to see his savior. He is truly a gorgeous boy. Thanks for saving him.
God love you! The love and attention you gave Well done! that sweet sweet baby!
God bless you all for your kindness to this innocent suffering kitty! What a happy, beautiful ending to a heartwarming story!
Kudos to everyone involved in this precious boy's recovry. There are kind and caring people in this world, Thank God.
Looks exactly like my brother's cat when we were kids. Same eyes and everything. Unfortunately we lost Fred when him and a neighbors dog got into a fight. He was an awesome cat. :(
God bless and love her for loving and caring so much for the helpless innocent creatures that desperately need help. What an amazing transformation Cotton came into. Wow!
What an absolutely beautiful cat. So happy to see this transformation. Thank you for sharing it.
Carmen will get a special welcome in heaven one day for all of her wonderful work on behalf of homeless cats! Cotton IS indeed beautiful, but more than beautiful is the wonderful home he now has!!
If you think about it under every outer skin that is mistreated, abused and denied a decent life is a beautiful sole.... it just has to be taken care of to bring out the outer beauty as well as the inner beauty... one more baby that needed humans attention to be alive again....
he will love you forever.. you are his angel. What a handsome boy you have.. oxoxo
Wonderful story! God Bless Cotton’s rescuers! He is just breathtakingly beautiful!
The transformation is unreal! Wouldn't hesitate to keep him either.
Damn onion ninjas! I'm so grateful to Carmen for taking him, healing him and keeping him. Another soul saved. Wish we could take in all the cats needing help :(
Congrats to this wonderful woman and her determination to save our less fortunate friends. This transformation is extraordinary and it is mostly thanks to you and the kind man that saved beautiful Cotton from dying! Thank you for existing
He certainly grew to become a handsome cat and what a mammoth effort Carmen put in! Well done Carmen.
Certainly grew to become a very handsome cat what a mammoth effort Carmen put it! Well done.
Mange is a horrible infection. Thank heaven Cotton found an angel to get him well.
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