"I Will Never Forget": The Last Act of a Homeless Cat Left a Woman Who Fed Him for Years in Awe (Video)
A woman who cared for a dozen homeless cats for five years was touched by the actions of one fluffy cat on the last day of his life. Gizmo, the cat who always kept a distance of a few feet from people, allowed her to touch him for the first time.
Valerie Wells, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and helps homeless animals, shared this touching story. In a TikTok video, she explained that Gizmo, unlike the other cats she took care of in her apartment complex, never let people get close.
"But I know he loved me and trusted me in his own way," Valerie said.
One day, she noticed that the cat was refusing food and didn't want to leave his favorite bush. She placed Gizmo in a carrier and took him to the veterinarian—he didn't resist.
The doctors discovered a huge abscess with maggots on the homeless cat's neck. Gizmo weighed just over 4.5 pounds, and it was already impossible to save him. The decision was made to euthanize him.
"When he was going to sleep, I was finally able to touch him—it was an honor that I will never forget and will never take for granted. Loving feral cats is not easy. You can only give them the love they are willing to accept," Valerie said. The Homeless Cat Thanked His Caregiver on His Last Day
In a comment to Newsweek, Valerie Wells shared that she discovered 12 feral cats in her apartment complex when she moved to Phoenix in 2020. She started secretly leaving food and water for them, and the animals would come to eat each night, like clockwork. Gizmo was always extremely skittish and never showed trust, but on the veterinary table, he allowed her to touch him, and Valerie heard him meow for the first time.
"When he was lying on the examination table, I told him how much I loved him and gently petted his head—I could only dream of that! It was an honor to be the trusted caretaker of wild cat Gizmo for five years. I am very grateful for our time together and thankful that I could help him in the end," Valerie told reporters. The Heartwarming Story of the Homeless Cat Moved People Online
People in the comments admitted that the story made them cry and thanked Valerie for what she does for feral kittens.
"His meow at the end was so precious! I'm sure he was so grateful for the years you fed him," one commenter wrote.
@phoenixferals Griz (Unknown - April 23, 2025) 🤍 For 5 years, I was his colony caregiver - providing food and treats and water. Griz was extremely wary of humans, and until his final days, I was never able to get within 15 feet of him. But I know that he loved and trusted me in his own way. At his end, I noticed his appetite was vanishing and he wouldn’t leave his favorite bush. While I hoped for a miracle, I knew it was his time. He put up little fight when it was time to trap him and take him to the vet. And he put up zero fight for the doctors to examine him. We found he had a severe abscess and maggots on his neck, and he was only 5 pounds. All the money in the world wouldn’t have saved his body that was so close passing. As he went to sleep, I was able to touch him for the first time - an honor I’ll never forget or take for granted. Loving feral cats is not easy. You can only give them the love that they’re willing to accept. Sometimes showing kindness comes in the form of a meal, a smile from a safe distance away, or in ending their suffering. #feralcats #griefjourney #petloss #petgrief #feralcat #straycat #animalrescue #rescuer #showkindness #feralcatsmatter
♬ Spring Into Summer - Lizzy McAlpine
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