The Heartwarming Tale Of Gentle Outcast Cat's Journey From The Streets To Loving Home In NYC

Cora Wilson

Meet Shrek, a sweet cat who found himself in a feral cat colony but faced challenges with bullying from other cats.

Malnourished, scarred, and partially blind due to entropion, Shrek's luck changed when Emily Shields, the founder of Whiskers N Wishes Sanctuary in Marana, Arizona, took him in.

After receiving proper care and treatment, Shrek was named after the ogre character. He was adopted by a couple from New York and now lives happily as a house cat.

Emily shared a bit about herself and her sanctuary: "I always wanted to run a cat rescue, even when I was little, and I bought land in Tucson during the pandemic to do just that. To date, we have had 377 adoptions in 3 years."

She added, "Whiskers N Wishes was established in November 2020, and we've been expanding to accommodate more cats every six months, with the latest expansion beginning on January 12!"

Back to Shrek's story, he was living in a colony of cats near an airport in Tucson, where he was an outsider and subject to bullying.

Courtney of Poets Square Cats, with over 1 million TikTok followers, discovered him. While watching a movie with her kids, Emily received a text from Courtney, asking if they had room for a friendly cat facing bullying.

Shrek's condition was dire—he appeared undernourished due to insufficient food intake amidst bullying from other cats.

Emily added, "Like many male street cats, he is FIV positive. He looked like a mess.”

Shrek faced multiple surgeries due to a condition called entropion, where his eyelids grew inward, causing eyelashes to stab into his eyeballs. This painful condition impaired his vision.
He was neutered and given his shots, then he ended up needing to have his eye surgery and dental surgery as well,” wrote Emily.
Fortunately, Shrek's story took a positive turn. A caring couple in New York City adopted him, managing his social media accounts. Shrek now enjoys a life filled with love, leaving his past struggles as a street cat in Arizona far behind.
His new dad made a whirlwind trip—flying to Phoenix, driving to Tucson, picking up Shrek, returning, and flying back to New York—all in one day to bring Shrek to his new home!
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