The streets of Bali can be a harsh place for animals who have no one to care for them. Last year, a rescuer from Street Paws came across one of the most heartbreaking scenes she’d ever witnessed.
Curled up against a wall was a cat so thin his ribs pressed through his skin, his tiny frame completely coated in black, sticky glue.
The smell of chemicals hung in the air, and it was clear he had been trapped for some time — likely caught in a large glue trap meant for rodents.
A Broken Little Soul Found in the Streets of Bali
The rescuer carefully lifted the trembling cat into her arms, his eyes dull but still pleading for help. Without hesitation, she rushed him to a nearby veterinary clinic.
There, the team immediately began working to save him. They named him Timothy — a simple name for a fragile cat who had survived something unthinkable.
For hours, veterinarians worked with soft hands and gentle voices, using warm water and oil to loosen the hardened glue from Timothy’s fur.
His body was so frail that every small touch made him flinch, yet he never hissed or fought back. He seemed to understand that, at last, someone was trying to save him.
Slowly Finding Strength and Hope Again
The first few days were the hardest. Timothy was exhausted, unable to stand for long or even lift his head. But as the sticky mess was washed away, so was a small part of his pain.
He began to purr faintly whenever someone stroked his head, as if whispering his gratitude.
The rescue team fed him small meals every few hours, and he started to show signs of life again — a spark returning to his once-empty eyes.
Eli, one of the rescuers from Street Paws, made it her mission to visit Timothy every single day.
She watched his slow transformation — the cat who had arrived nearly lifeless now stretched his paws when she entered the room.
He would press his face against her hands as if remembering the feeling of kindness. After weeks of medical care, Timothy was strong enough to leave the clinic.
His rescuer, Mayang, offered to foster him while he continued to recover. In her home, surrounded by other rescued cats, Timothy experienced warmth and safety for perhaps the first time in his life.
Each day brought a little more healing — his fur began to grow back soft and thick, and his once-thin frame filled out with healthy weight.
His eyes, once tired and scared, now gleamed with gentle curiosity.
The Foster Who Couldn’t Say Goodbye
As time passed, Timothy blossomed into a beautiful, fluffy cat with a calm and loving nature. His transformation amazed everyone who had seen him that first day.
The same cat who had once been a matted shadow of himself now looked radiant, with soft gray-and-white fur and a confident stride.
Eli often joked that he looked like a prince — elegant, graceful, and perfectly content to rule over his little home.
But what touched everyone most was how deeply he bonded with Mayang.
She had promised herself that fostering was temporary, but as Timothy began sleeping beside her, following her from room to room, and greeting her each morning with a soft meow, she realized that letting him go would break her heart.
Somewhere along the way, Timothy had become family.
When the rescue team asked if she would like to make it official, Mayang smiled through tears. Of course she would.
The little cat who once fought for his life now had a forever home. It was what rescuers call a “foster fail,” but for Mayang, it was the happiest failure of her life.
Today, Timothy spends his days lounging by sunny windows, playing gently with his cat siblings, and curling up beside his mom every night.
The glue, the hunger, and the fear are only distant memories now. What remains is love — steady, patient, and kind.
Timothy’s story is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, compassion can bring light. One act of kindness changed his entire world.
And for the rescuers of Street Paws, his happy ending is proof that no life is too small to save.