A cat perched on the side of a highway with no path to escape. People rallied to save him so he could live the good life.
Earlier this year, volunteers of Good Karma Pet Rescue received a heartbreaking text about an orange cat stuck on the side of I-95 with no path to escape.
The cat had somehow got on the highway and was terrified by the rush hour traffic. Angela, a foster volunteer of the rescue, was in the area en route to work when she was notified about the cat.
She immediately went to find him and was shocked to see the cat clinging precariously to a concrete barrier.
He was frozen in fear, pinned against a fence with no way to escape. “Due to road construction, there was only about a foot of space between the busy lanes and the concrete, fenced barrier he was sitting on,” the rescue shared.
They began calling contacts to mobilize help, and within minutes, road agent Maria of Broward County Animal Care rushed to the location where she connected with Angela.
After learning where the cat was stranded, Maria called for help, and a state trooper arrived to flash his lights for safety. When the lane was clear of traffic, Maria was able to secure the cat and safely bring him into a crate.
The cat named Axel was a bit shaken after the long ordeal but relieved to know he was away from the endless torrent of cars. He began to relax to the soothing voice of his rescuer.
Axel had road rash on his paws and a few broken claws from desperately trying to escape the highway, but he was otherwise in good shape. He was about one year old, neutered, but didn’t have a microchip.
He was friendly and seemed appreciative of the care he was getting.
He rubbed against his crate, purring, and craved pets and affection. “It was amazing considering what he just went through.”
A foster family opened their home to Axel and provided a comfortable space for him to heal. “Since his incredible rescue, he’s visited the vet and got a clean bill of health, and relaxed into a new environment.”
Once indoors, Axel came out of his shell, and his personality truly shone. He enjoyed lounging on the couch while supervising his people, and he decided to befriend everyone he met.
“He is great with other cats, to the point that he thinks everyone is a friend, and immediately goes in to bump heads when he doesn’t even know the other cat and is surprised if the other cat is unfriendly.”
His love doesn’t discriminate, and he adores the company of both cats and dogs. He’s a social butterfly and thrives in a multi-cat household.
Axel likes to join the cat-friendly resident dog in the kitchen, begging for attention and snacks. “He is talkative, silly, and comes equipped with extra toes on his front feet.”
He is adept at wrestling with toys with his polydactyl paws, which give him a powerful grip.
Axel is adventurous and boisterous, full of endearing orange cat behaviors. He plays to his heart’s content and rubs his face into a catnip toy until he passes out in bliss.
Thanks to the help of many kind people, those cold nights and lonely days are a thing of the past for Axel. He is living each day to the fullest, enjoying the good life he deserves.
