Mean feral cat suddenly went blind at NC shelter. It led to a stunning transformation

An irritable cat in search of a home saw things go from bad to worse when he mysteriously lost his sight at a North Carolina animal shelter.

It’s not clear why that happened, but the prognosis for Scoot wasn’t good. He was feral, temperamental and disabled, according to the Lincoln County Animal Services in Lincolnton, about 35 miles northwest of Charlotte.

“Scoot went completely blind following his neuter, and our vet suspects that he may have had a reaction to the anesthesia,” the shelter posted April 11 on Facebook.

The post came with a plea for someone to adopt the “special needs kitty.”

Scoot had been brought to the shelter as a stray in February, and people weren’t exactly lining up to take him home. Feral cats are notoriously independent and the worst among them “are not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors,” cat experts warn.

“Scoot came to us as a typical feral outdoor cat, not very friendly and unable to be handled,” shelter veterinarian Erika Masterlaz told McClatchy News.

“Unfortunately after his neuter surgery, our caretakers began to notice that he seemed like he had lost his vision. He was also no longer behaving like a feral cat.”

That meant Scoot could not be released back into the wild. Instead, the shelter would have to find him a home, which would not be easy.

However, Scoot surprised everyone, according to the shelter’s Animal Services Director Jana Aviles. He adapted quickly and proved downright resilient.

Response to the Facebook post was “overwhelming,” Aviles says, but Scoot’s rescuer ended up coming from within the shelter itself.

An animal caretaker, Mariah Shields, asked if she could adopt him.

It was his amazing transformation that compelled her, Shields told McClatchy News.

“It’s very obvious how new he is to being blind, and he started out very quiet and unassuming,” she said.

“Once he’s being pet though, you find out how much he loves cuddles! Scoot is really starting to open up as well! He has started to knead while being petted, and this morning he meowed for the first time when I greeted him! While petting him, he began to play!”

Better still, she says he recently hugged her.

This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 8:51 AM with the headline "Mean feral cat suddenly went blind at NC shelter. It led to a stunning transformation."