Shelter Volunteer Steps in to Help Overweight Senior Cat Abandoned by Owner

A Los Angeles animal shelter volunteer stepped up to foster an overweight senior cat, offering the feline a safe place to learn to trust again.

Shelter volunteer Rhamine Miguelez, known on TikTok as @rha.mine, took particular interest in a 10-year-old overweight cat who arrived at LA Animal Service in California. Peka was abandoned. She was broken. She wouldn't play, eat or show her face.

Miguelez and her husband agreed to bring Peka home as a foster, getting her out of the environment and giving her plenty of attention. But with their selfless act came a lot of patience.

The March 18 TikTok video gave viewers a glimpse into the responsibility it requires to care for animals who have been traumatized. The 19-pound cat was covered in dirt and matted fur. She wouldn't make eye contact and would hide. But the couple didn't give up.

Within four days, they started to see a positive change in Peka. She's eating, using her litter box and making eye contact with them. She loves getting pet and brushed out. In an updated video, Miguelez shared that Peka has since lost two pounds.

However, there are more hurdles to jump over with Peka. She still gets scared. While trying to get her to go on a walk, Peka looked disoriented and had an accident in the hallway. They have learned to take it slow and not to push her progress.

Newsweek reached out to Miguelez via TikTok for additional comment.

How Viewers Reacted

As of Wednesday, the TikTok clip had over 648,500 views and 88,200 likes. People are totally invested in Peka's story, rooting for her from the sidelines.

"Thank you for fostering her and giving her so much love and attention," commented a viewer.

Someone said: "She's so precious. She deserves all the good in the world."

Another added: "Thank you, thank you for fostering Peka. I hope Peka finds a forever home soon!"

Some viewers are begging her to keep the cat, but since she already has two cats, Miguelez said, she can't keep Peka. However, she added in the comment section that she is working hard to find Peka a loving home.

U.S. Shelter Numbers

Peka is just one of thousands of cats and dogs abandoned or surrendered to animal shelters. There are currently 290 cats, including Peka, and 1,453 dogs available for adoption through LA Animal Services, according to its website.

Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared to January 2022, the 24Pet "Shelter Watch Report" found.

About 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

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