From the very beginning, Rosa couldn’t help but notice a mysterious orange cat that seemed to be keeping an eye on her from the nearby woods. The cat, later named Jaxon, would occasionally cross the streets near her apartment, piquing her curiosity. Driven by a desire to help, Rosa approached her landlord to see if he knew anything about the feline.
She soon discovered that Jaxon had been abandoned six years ago by a previous tenant. While it broke Rosa’s heart to learn that the cat had been left behind, she also felt incredibly fortunate to have crossed paths with him. Rosa, who has a history of helping stray cats in Delaware, knew she had to do something for this abandoned cat.
However, earning Jaxon’s trust proved to be a daunting task. After surviving on his own for six long years, Jaxon was wary of people and hesitant to approach Rosa. Catching him seemed impossible, especially since he was so quick to avoid any traps she set. But with the harsh winter looming, Rosa knew time was of the essence.
In the meantime, she did what she could to keep Jaxon safe and comfortable. She set up outdoor shelters to protect him from the cold and established a feeding station, making it part of her daily routine to bring him fresh food. Rosa hoped that by learning his habits and being a constant presence, she would eventually gain his trust.
“I tried to trap him many times,” Rosa shared. “He was really smart – he never got in the cage. You could see that his eyes were irritated – he usually kept them closed. I didn’t know if he could see.”
After months of patience and persistence, a breakthrough finally occurred on July 1, 2021.
“I got closer to him and I started talking to him,” Rosa recalled. “He just continued eating. He just let me pet him, and I was like, ‘Are you going to let me grab you?’ And then I just grabbed him from the back of his head … I think that he was ready to receive some help.”
Rosa was overjoyed to finally have Jaxon in her care. She immediately took him home, treated him for worms, and gave him medication for fleas. A visit to the vet followed shortly after, where Rosa was relieved to learn that despite his years in the wild, Jaxon was in surprisingly good health.
The main issue, as Rosa had suspected, was with Jaxon’s eyes. Fortunately, a simple surgery was all he needed to restore his vision.
“After his surgery, I think that really changed everything – he can see now,” Rosa said. “He was so sweet. I could pet him that first day that I took him home.”
It took about five months for Jaxon to fully warm up to Rosa, but once he settled in, his gentle nature quickly shone through.
“He’s like a gentle old man,” Rosa said. “He has all the calm in the world. He doesn’t complain about anything.”
Although Rosa grew fond of Jaxon, her life was already too busy to take on another pet. But Jaxon’s story quickly gained attention, and it wasn’t long before he found a loving forever home in New York.
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After he settled into his new home, Rosa’s followers were eager to hear how he was doing. They were delighted to learn that not only was Jaxon thriving in his new environment, but he had also been given a new name!
Rosa’s compassion and dedication are truly inspiring. Thanks to her efforts, Jaxon, now known as Hank, has a chance at a happy life in a new home. We can only hope that more people follow in Rosa’s footsteps and take the time to care for animals in need.
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