She Was Kept In A Bird Cage For The First Year Of Her Life

When rescuers approached a small, filthy birdcage they couldn't believe their eyes. Not only was the animal inside suffering, but she wasn't a bird at all.

Inside the birdcage was a year-old cat.

Furry Nation Salvation

Furry Nation Salvation, a rescue organization in Florida, had received word about a cat being kept in unimaginable conditions. Not only was the poor cat completely confined to a cage meant for a much smaller animal, she was also covered from head to tail in fleas. There wasn't a single clean spot in the entire cage for her to rest.

"There was no way we were going to leave her there for another second," Tonja Heer of Furry Nation Salvation told The Dodo. The cat was being kept in the backyard of a home, a tarp thrown over the cage to protect her from the rain, and had lived that way her entire life. Rescuers freed the sweet cat and whisked away to get the help she so badly needed.

Furry Nation Salvation

The rescued cat, now named Holly Peppermint, needed immediate treatment for her fleas, which had taken over her entire body. She also had skin and bladder infections. "Once we got her home she received a flea bath and got a dose of flea preventative on," Heer said. "As my 2-year-old held her while she dried, she purred very loudly, like the sound of a dove."

Furry Nation Salvation

Holly Peppermint had lived in that tiny cage her entire life, and was shocked by how much space she now had to move around. At first she barely walked or moved very far at all, because she was so used to not having any freedom.

Soon though, Holly realized that she was finally safe - and began to heal.

Before the rescue group put Holly up for adoption, they ended up finding her the perfect home with friends of the group. She now has a loving family, a 10-year-old cat sibling, and all the space she needs to run, play and just be herself.

Furry Nation Salvation

"No longer a nameless cat confined to a bird cage, Holly Peppermint has found the home she truly deserves," Heer said.

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