When Paul Russell found out that his distant relative had Alzheimer's, he asked him to move in with him and his wife.
After a few days of living together, Paul decided it was best to move him to a nursing care facility. At the time, he thought he had done the right thing. But little did he know, he would soon regret parting ways with his relative.
They Took Care Of His Cat
Paul's relative had a 17-year-old cat, and since the nursing facility prohibited its residents from bringing their pets, the couple decided they would take care of his cat.
However, they soon learned that this cat wasn't the only animal that the elderly man kept in his home.
At The House
One day, Paul and his wife visited his relative's home to collect some things to bring to the nursing care facility.
There was no electricity in the house, so they had to use a flashlight. The place was filled with garbage, boxes, and dirty dishes. Something about the house didn't sit well with them.
Something Was Off
They felt like someone was watching them. All they wanted was to get his belongings and leave as quickly as possible.
Suddenly, the pair heard a loud screeching sound coming from the darkness.
Scared
“I started searching around, and suddenly this huge creature darts out from under the bed and runs down to the cellar, and I thought, ‘What was that?’” Paul recalled.
“The next day, I went into the creepy old cellar… I’m down there with a flashlight looking — it was almost like a horror movie. And I found her hunkering in the corner…”
Strange Creature
They spotted a strange creature resembling a cat. It was so dirty that they couldn't tell what it was.
So they took the alien-looking animal to the vet, hoping to get some answers.
It Was A Cat
The vets said that they had never seen anything like this before.
They confirmed that it was a cat. But why did it look so different?
Hidey
After thinking it through, the vets decided to give the animal anesthesia.
They named him Hidey due to its ability to hide so well. He was trapped under pounds of matted fur that needed to be removed immediately.
Abandoned
Paul's relative had forgotten about Hidey for a long time. It was a miracle he survived!
“Hidey was really overweight, so that makes it harder for cats to groom themselves, and that’s when you see matting happen,” said Western PA Humane Society Senior Marketing Communications Manager Caitlin Lasky.
A Unique Case
“They hadn’t seen anything like that,” she continued.
“Even looking online, I had a hard time finding anything similar, so it’s definitely a unique case.” Would they be able to save Hidey?
Shave It All Off
The only way to rescue Hidey was to shave it all off.
So, they put the feline under general anesthesia and began shaving his fur.
In The Process
“Our Medical team shaved off the pounds of intertwined fur from her body and, needless to say, this cat is feeling so much better now!” the shelter posted on Facebook.
Hidey's fur weighed over two pounds!
A Hairy Cat
“Lots of fur. It had to be years of matting for it to get that long.”
It turns out that not only was Hidey a hairy cat, but he was also overweight!
A New Home
Paul and his wife decided to adopt Hidey. Both Siam and Hidey now live together with the Russells and their two dogs and three cats.
However, it took some time for him to settle in. "He's been hiding under the bed for the last couple of days," said Russell.
Slowly Adjusting
"I've been dragging her out and holding her, and she purrs a lot," Russell continued.
The last couple of days, she's climbed out from under the bed on her own, and into a cat bed I have. So she's starting to work her way to see people more," Russell continued.