A common misconception is that cats are self-sufficient creatures capable of surviving on their own. They are well recognized for being independent; they are said to spend most of their time outside and only enter the house for food and grooming. However, some cat breeds require frequent maintenance for their fur, and failing to do so could have disastrous consequences.
For years, Hidey the cat suffered because her owner could not afford to offer her regular tidiness. When Hidey was originally discovered by the rescuer, she was in such terrible state that they mistook her for a cat cuddled up under a blanket. Others likened the image to a scene from a science fiction movie, notably a creature from the film “Alien,” as it was so startling. The man had merely come to check on the health of his old relative’s cat; he had no idea that another animal was hiding in the same residence. Not even he could have identified the enigmatic creature concealed underneath.
“It darted out from under a bed,” Paul Russell said in a statement to PEOPLE. “At first, I thought it was a cat wrapped in a blanket. The next day, when I crawled down into the eerie old cellar, I found it nestled in a corner. At that moment, I said, “My God, this is a cat!”
The couple from Churchill, Pennsylvania, made the decision to care for both animals after learning about Hidey, a 14-year-old cat who had been abandoned for years and had earned her nickname from her habit of hiding. The staff at the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Centre planned to remove the matted fur that had accumulated on Hidey’s body as soon as possible.
The cat’s new owners, the Russells, gave her a name and explained that Hidey’s prior owner had Alzheimer’s and had lost awareness of her surroundings. These mats were made because they believed that Hidey was unable to properly take care of herself due to her weight and deteriorating health. Since then, Hidey has come to stand for the importance of monitoring the well-being of elderly people and their pets.
Dan Rossi, CEO of the Animal Rescue League Shelter, emphasized that “owning a pet is a significant responsibility, even though pet companionship can bring many positive benefits to the elderly.” He recommended everyone to make sure there is a support system in place in case they have a friend, neighbor, or family member who has a pet and starts to experience mental decline.
Upon learning that Hidey’s owner had moved to a nursing home due to Alzheimer’s disease, the folks who found him got in touch with Pittsburgh’s Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Centre. The wretched cat’s fur had grown into six-to eight-inch-long dreadlocks, indicating that she had likely been left for up to two years.
Hidey was freed from her matted fur with the assistance of a veterinarian named Dr. Yaelen Levitzki, who claimed that Hidey’s matting was the worst she had ever seen in a cat. In a Facebook video, she detailed the procedure, and to ensure Hidey’s comfort, she was given a tranquilizer.
The medical team discovered that Hidey was feeling much better after shaving off pounds of matted fur from her body. According to the shelter, Hidey’s matting had gone untreated for years. When Hidey’s owner was relieved of duty, she was given to a family member, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
