She couldn't believe it when she realized why the cat wanted her to follow it. It was strange, to say the least. In all of her years of feeding stray cats, she had never seen anything like this.
But despite her disbelief, she knew she had to help the cat.
Cat Lover
This elderly woman living in Seoul, South Korea, had been taking care of stray cats since she was a little girl. About five years ago, she moved to a neighborhood with many apartment buildings next to each other.
The large park in the middle and several back alleys made it a perfect spot for stray cats and dogs to hang out. The woman soon began feeding the cats there and became acquainted with them quickly. But, little did she know, she would soon regret feeding those animals.
New Friends
It didn't take long before all the cats in the neighborhood knew this woman. They would all wait for her in front of the building entrance every morning.
However, the lady soon started to notice that one particular cat – a female tabby, behaved strangely around her.
A Familiar Face
When she approached the cats with food bowls, that cat would never take any. But then, she realized she had seen this tabby cat somewhere before.
Could it be that they had met before?
Dong-Sook
Before moving into her new apartment, she used to feed a tabby cat whom she had named Dong-Sook. This cat had kittens not long before in one of the basements near the woman's house.
Her neighbor later told the woman that none of her kittens made it.
In Grief
The old lady figured it might have been the same cat and assumed she was still grieving for her kittens.
Could she be so heartbroken that she didn't even feel like eating anymore?
Strange Behavior
One day, the lady brought a bag of dry food for the strays. As she knelt down to greet Dong-Sook, she reached out with her paw, trying to knock the food out of the woman's hand.
The lady dropped the bag on the floor, hoping the tabby would finally eat some food. But what Dong-Sook did next would leave her speechless.
Taking The Food
The tabby grabbed the bag of dry food with her teeth and walked away, leaving the lady confused. She was in disbelief at the cat's behavior. Why would she do this? Was she afraid of her?
The next day, the woman came out with another bag of dry food, wanting to see if the tabby would try to steal it again. Just as the day before, Dong-Sook grabbed the bag with her teeth and ran. The lady decided to follow the cat to see where she had taken the food. But she wasn't prepared for the truth.
Following The Cat
She came out with a plastic bag of cat food and a camera and placed the bag in front of Dong-Sook.
As soon as the cat took the bag, she followed, with a camera in her hand. As she followed Dong-Sook through narrow alleys and parks, she realized it wouldn't be easy to keep up with her.
A Kitten
Then, a few minutes later, the woman saw it: a tiny kitten. It approached Dong-Sook, who quickly dropped the bag of food in front of it. The kitten ripped the bag open with its little teeth and ate the food inside.
The elderly woman finally realized what this meant.
The Survivor
It turns out that not all of Dong-Sook's kittens had passed away. This small guy has survived, and his mother did everything she could to ensure he received enough food.
The lady was brought to tears by this scene and decided to do something to help this mother and her baby.
Calling The Animal Rescue Group
She called a local animal rescue group and told them about the tabby and her kitten. She wanted to give them a better life.
After seeing the woman's video, the staff from the animal rescue group were left in awe of the cat's actions.
Catching The Cats
"After suffering, she was attached to the kitten," said one of the members. They sent rescuers to the lady's neighborhood to find the tabby and her kitten. However, catching the cats was difficult since the rescuers did not look familiar to Dong-Sook.
The lifelong stray was afraid they would hurt her and her baby and would not give in without a fight.
Finally Caught
The rescuers caught the kitten first since he was smaller and slower than his mother. They gently picked it up to show Dong-Sook that they weren't going to hurt it.
The tabby eventually let them take her. She knew it was the only way for her kitten to be safe.
New Home
The animal rescue group found a home for Dong-Sook and her kitten and purchased them a new house to sleep in.
Unlike her kitten, who was excited about the new warm blankets, Dong-Sook didn't show much emotion. Instead, it seemed like she was still afraid.