Locked away in a birdcage for years by his former owner, a tabby cat named Oliver has been rescued in the nick of time in New Jersey, USA.
A shocking discovery
It is a scene that is almost impossible to imagine, yet it is completely true. As reported by the website Love Meow, a cat was found living inside a birdcage.
During a family gathering at a home in New Jersey, USA, a guest noticed a feline trapped inside a cage.
The owner's excuse? The poor animal was scratching the furniture. Even worse, she admitted that she regularly ”forgot” to feed him or give him water for days on end.
Refusing to turn a blind eye, the guest gained the owner's trust over time to rescue the cat, before reaching out to the local community for help.
Waiting for a forever home
Taken in by the charity Happy Homes Animal Rescue, based in Old Bridge, the feline was in a bad way. His back was curved because of the cramped cage.
Veterinary examinations revealed a spinal deformity caused by his confinement, though thankfully he did not seem to be in any pain.
Thanks to the rescue, the cat began to relax and explore his new surroundings.
Today, six months after his rescue, Oliver is unrecognisable. Estimated to be between three and five years old, he is now living the life of an almost normal cat.
While he still bears some psychological scars from his ordeal, including a tendency to bite his fur when stressed, he gets along wonderfully with other cats and is extremely playful and affectionate. Ironically, he does not scratch the furniture at all.
The shelter is now looking for a forever home for him.
