Alone in a quiet park in Northridge, California, a gray cat named Puma sat silently behind the blue bars of a small cage, waiting for someone to notice him. Beside him lay a single can of wet food, and a sign that simply read: “Free cat.”
It wasn’t much — just a sheet draped over the top of the cage and a note that offered no comfort, only a label. Fortunately, a group of nearby residents spotted the cat and gathered around, concerned and unsure of what to do. That’s when Heather Plott stepped forward.
“I couldn’t just leave him there,” Plott told The Dodo. “A neighbor helped me carry the cage back to my house.”
Once home, Plott turned the note over and discovered a few more details: Puma was a 2-year-old male. Meanwhile, the cat sat quietly, trying to process the whirlwind of change.
“He was completely shut down,” Plott said. “He looked so scared and confused. It broke my heart. He didn’t lash out — no hissing or swatting — just sadness. I could tell he was gentle, but overwhelmed.”
Wanting to get him the help he needed, Plott reached out to Sandra Harrison, executive director of Kitten Rescue, a local organization dedicated to saving abandoned cats.
Soon after, Puma was placed in a loving foster home where he could decompress and begin to heal.
Little by little, Puma is adjusting to his new life. He’s shown that he prefers being the only cat in the house and is slowly beginning to feel safe again. His foster family is giving him all the time and space he needs to regain trust and confidence.
When he’s ready, Kitten Rescue will begin searching for the perfect forever home — one where Puma will never be left behind again.
Though the sign on his cage said “free,” everyone who meets Puma now agrees on one thing:
He’s absolutely priceless.
To support cats like Puma on their journey to a better life, consider donating to Kitten Rescue.
