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A cat believed to have been dumped by "someone who didn't want her" has been given a forever home by a man who discovered her at a campsite.
Chris Ward, a 39-year-old documentary filmmaker from Salem, Oregon, was staying on an empty campsite along the Columbia River Gorge when he came across the feline. He was in the area working on a feature documentary with a tribe in Washington state, Ward told Newsweek.
He captured the encounter in a viral clip shared from his TikTok account (@chriswarrrd). The footage begins with the cat seen standing on what appears to be the camp site at night, looking toward the camera. She is later seen "rubbing all over" Ward's hand and playing inside the tent, before sitting in his car.
A caption on the post reads: "This sweet kitty found me while I was camping in rural Washington. So I took her home and added her to our collection."
The filmmaker told Newsweek that he later took the feline to a veterinarian's office, where she was scanned for a microchip, but she didn't have one. "The vet believed she was dumped at the campsite by someone who didn't want her," he said.
The poster's reaction to the abandoned cat in the latest clip is understandable because "the temptation to rescue a stray cat can be strong," veterinarian Dr. Jose Arce told Newsweek in May 2022. He said one must be cautious when approaching an unknown cat, as the feline may be fearful and attempts to capture it could lead to injuries for you or the animal.
The Humane Society of the United States says some strays may be friendly and approach you for food or attention, while others may be too scared to let you get close. "But they will usually eat immediately if you put food down for them," it said.
Among the millions of animals entering shelters and rescue centers across the country, adult cats and neonatal kittens (newborns aged up to around four weeks old) form a large portion of those in need of a home, according to the nonprofit.
The latest cat rescue story comes as each year 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The number of cats and dogs taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet 'Shelter Watch Report' found. Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
The Cat Had 'Anxiety About Being Left Behind'
Ward said he noticed the cat in the bushes while he was setting up his tent, "but she wouldn't come near me."
After being in the tent for about an hour, he heard her meowing outside, so he opened the tent and saw her about 15 feet away. He extended his hand out and called her over and started petting her when she came over.
Ward said the cat was "very skinny" and "she seemed to be surviving on trash scraps by the dumpster at the campsite."
After spending the night in his tent, the next morning Ward said he could tell she was "filled with anxiety about being left behind," while he was packing to leave for work. "So I opened my car door and she hopped in," he said.
Before he began his filming for work, he bought the cat a litter box and some food and she stayed in the back seat of the car for 12 hours that day, "just sleeping and eating while I worked," he said.
That evening, he drove her to Salem, about 3 1/2 hours away. He brought her inside his garage because "we already have two cats and didn't know if the camp kitty had any diseases."
He took her to his veterinarian the next morning for a checkup. The feline is now vaccinated and gaining healthy weight and is "very well-cared for," Ward said.
He added: "We've committed to adopting her," noting that she has issues with the other cats, "but it's getting better." She was named Rocky after the river near the campsite called Rock Creek.
"She's still adjusting to house life. She has a problem with jumping on the counter tops and stealing food, but she's getting better every day...I would say that she was instantly attached to us once she got home. She's so sweet," he said.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more