In April of 2020, a Hawaii resident witnessed a sick cat stumble out of the bushes in her backyard.
The women was shocked by his condition. He crawled up to her and trembled as if she was his only hope.
Keep reading to discover how this cat’s desperate cry for help was answered by two outstanding heroes.
A Shocking Discovery
Early one spring day, a Hawaii woman was stunned by an unusual event that took place in her backyard.
A visibly sick cat crawled out of her bushes desperately seeking help.
The woman quickly reached out to the Facebook group, Catopia Hawaii, where she was able to connect with Bret Thompsett, an experienced cat rescuer and rehabilitator.
Bret immediately sprung into action upon hearing the news.
“The woman easily picked him up. She didn’t have to trap him or anything. He wasn’t scared. He had just given up,” Bret recalled.
When Bret saw the cat for the first time, he was shocked…
Zombie Cat
“He looked like a zombie cat, ” Bret recalled. “He was so dirty and covered in some kind of grease like he’d been living in a car engine.”
Bret rushed the cat to the vet where he was stabilized and then sent home for the night.
Despite the recent vet visit, Bret still had doubts.
“I honestly wasn’t sure he’d make it through the night,” Bret said. “Even though he had been stabilized at the vet, he didn’t have enough energy to eat.”
The cat was too weak to eat or use the litter box. He would roll into his food and pee where he slept.
Bret and his girlfriend were determined to make this sweet boy comfortable in their care.
They made sure he was kept clean and well fed at all times.
With the help of two loving fosters, this cat was given a fighting chance.
“Something isn’t right…”
After a few days of little to no movement, the cat slowly started to show signs of improvement.
“Slowly but surely, he started to gain more and more strength and started to use the litter box,” Bret shared. “His personality was super spicy.”
Bret’s girlfriend named the cat Evinrude after the dragonfly from the Disney animated film, The Rescuers.
As Evinrude grew stronger and healthier, Bret and his girlfriend were able to observe their sweet guest in action.
However, Bret realized something wasn’t quite right.
A Mystery Solved
“We realized that he was blind,” Bret said.
Bret knew Evinrude had a birth defect called eyelid agenesis that caused his eyelids to grow improperly, but knew this could be corrected with surgery once he was healthy enough.
However, a visit to the ophthalmologist proved that Evinrude had multiple eye complications that had left him blind since birth.
Evinrude’s blindness didn’t slow him down one bit!
After all he had been through, blindness was the least of his concerns.
Blind, Not Broken
Since Evinrude had been blind since birth, he had adjusted very well to using his other senses.
“His navigation is insane. It’s really incredible how he can track flies and toys without seeing them,” Bret shared.
Bret was astounded by how well Evinrude could navigate his surroundings without eyesight.
“He walks around the house without bumping into things,” Bret continued. “If you put something new on the floor, he might bump into it. But after he learns where it is, he won’t do it again.”
Foster Failure
As Evinrude grew stronger and healthier, Bret and his girlfriend fell deeper in love with him.
They had been with him through every step of his journey and watched him grow into a sweet, spunky cat.
Though Evinrude can’t see, his milky eyes are filled with love and gratitude for his rescuers.
Bret and his girlfriend had originally planned on fostering Evinrude until he was healthy enough to be adopted, but they started to reconsider.
Afterall, Evinrude was happy with them. He trusted them and knew their home well.
Bret and his girlfriend couldn’t bear the thought of seeing him go. They shared a special bond.
The decision was clear: Evinrude wasn’t going anywhere.
Bret and his girlfriend welcomed him into their family with open arms!
Happily Ever After
Now Evinrude spends his time playing, pouncing, enjoying delicious treats, and being showered with love by his new mom and dad.
“He loves Costco Chicken; he’s a fiend for it,” Bret shared. “Everytime we’re in the kitchen he thinks it’s Costco Chicken time.”
Now that he’s healthy and free of all diseases and parasites, he can focus on making friends!
In fact, Evinrude is a very welcoming host to Bret’s other foster cats.
“He loves our foster cats. He’s not as interested in spending time with the adults, but he loves to play with the younger ones,” Bret shared.
Evinrude went from suffering on the streets to thriving in a safe, warm home with a family he can call his own.
“He’s an absolutely fantastic cat. Very quirky, you know – he’s just Evinrude!” Bret gushed.
Thanks to Bret, Evinrude can finally live the life he’s always deserved.
Bret Thompsett and his partner, Aimei are independent rescuers and fosters in Hawaii.
However, the couple relies on donations for food, supplies, and medical funds from kind-hearted individuals to continue their life saving missions.
If you’d like to help support Bret and Aimei rescue cats & kittens, please click here to donate food and supplies directly to them from their Amazon Wishlist.
Click here if you’d like to donate to a rescue cat’s medical expenses.
All donations, no matter how small, help them continue to rescue and foster cats in Hawaii, a state with limited rescue resources where cats are often overlooked, neglected, and abused.
Be sure to follow this heroic couple on Instagram for updates on his latest rescue cats!
Click here to follow Bret on Instagram.
Click here to follow Aimee on Instagram.
Marybert
Saturday 14th of August 2021
How Zombie cat
Kim
Saturday 14th of August 2021
I am so glad that Evinrude found a good place to stay. I hope these people decide to keep them. They seem to care about him and Evinrude seems very comfortable with them. May God be with you all.
Susan
Monday 22nd of February 2021
Thank you for saving this precious little kitten,and all you do saving other cats.❤️❤️??
Suzanne Roussel
Saturday 10th of October 2020
Thank you for sharing your story ❤ so adorable ? ❤ and precious ? ? babies thank you for the work you do. Thank you for saving him ❤ ?
Michael Freitas
Saturday 10th of October 2020
Thanks to everyone for rescuing Evinrude and giving him a Loving Home and Family. Best Wishes and God Bless, Evinrude. Take Care ??