KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A sad update to this story. :(
Cuddles and Purrs rescue posted on Facebook that Hobo Da Cat, aka Hobie, has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. His foster mom was with him when he died.
"This was no easy decision, but since he was not responding to medications, his health was declining for six weeks, and he was progressively getting worse, it was decided to let him cross over with the least amount of suffering possible. He had a full life in the four months he was in the rescue. He was loved, cared for, had loads of fun playing, made new friends, and was safe inside a loving foster home," the post said.
Original story
An East Tennessee cat rescue is looking for a forever home for a kitty lovingly named "Hobo Da Cat." He doesn't let his single eye and three teeth keep him down.
Maggie, who chose not to share her last name, is one of the founders of Cuddles and Purrs Cat Rescue in the Karns and Powell area. She said Hobo's face is easy to love.
"I try to be very aware that I need to make sure the toy is near the one eye cause sometimes you forget he doesn't have this eye," Maggie explained. "So I try to make sure he sees the toy and he'll grab for stuff and chase balls"
What Hobo lacks on the outside, he makes up for in personality.
"He's very playful," Maggie said with a smile. "He's very playful for an old man. He's very sweet too. He loves to purr."
His battle wounds tell a story no one will ever know.
"He was a cat that was brought into the local shelter," Maggie noted. "They did a lot of work on him. They did an eye enucleation, he had a broken tail, they pulled out almost all of his teeth except for three. He had an upper respiratory infection. They got him all healthy, adopted him out, and somehow made his way back onto the street."
She first heard about Hobo through a Facebook post made by a family who found Hobo on the street.
"So I went and picked him up and scanned him at Butler Animal Clinic and I came back with the chip information," Maggie said.
They weren't able to get in contact with Hobo's previous owners, so she decided to bring him into her small mom-and-pop cat rescue.
"So we figured we'd just do a few kitties at a time, get them as healthy as we can, and find them a home," Maggie explained.
She knew this 10-year-old cat really embraced his nine lives.
"While he was at Butler animal clinic, we felt a lump on his back and removed a BB," Maggie said.
He does have his challenges.
"He's had a really hard life," Maggie said. "He's also FIV positive. He was FIV positive when he was adopted out from the local shelter. So they can live happily with other kitties as long as it's not an aggressive cat."
Maggie says FIV is not a death sentence.
"Really all that means is if he gets a respiratory infection it might take him longer to recover," Maggie assured.
Hobo is just looking for a forever home.
"I think that Hobo would like a home with another cat," Maggie said. "He would be good with kids. I think that just a stable home environment. Somebody that would be very loving to him and caring."
If Hobo could talk, Maggie says he would sing praises.
"He would tell me that he is very grateful for the family that reached out for help, he's extremely grateful to the Cuddles and Purrs rescue for going and getting him and taking him in and giving him all the love and care that he needs and trying to help him find his forever home," Maggie said.
She hopes his troubled past can turn into a bright, one-eyed future.
If you are interested in adopting Hobo, you can inquire on the Cuddles and Purrs Facebook Page.
If you would like to make a donation to Cuddles and Purrs, you can give donations directly to Butler Animal Clinic, 865-531-7311, or you can give to the rescue's Amazon Wish List.
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