Strangers unite to save injured stray cat in Cebu City

Juanded wounded and asking for help. Contributed Photo: Kevin Garcia

Cebu City, Philippines— Cats are sweet and affectionate.

But sad to say some of our cats in Cebu, especially stray cats, are not given the right kind of care and affection that they deserve.

This was highlighted when Kevin Garcia, Mr. Fahrenheit 2019, shared last August 18, 2019 on his Facebook account, a picture of an injured stray cat he saw along F. Cabahug Street in Barangay Kasambagan here.

The cat had a deep cut in its back, which Garcia believed was caused by a hit from a “really sharp object.”

“I was on my way home when a cat jumped out of a neighbor’s garden and on to the road. It hid under one of the cars and when I came closer and called the kitty, it allowed me to pet him. To my surprise, the damage (cut) was really deep but gladly [it] had not exposed any of the [cat’s] internal organs,” Garcia said.

Garcia posted the video of the cat on Facebook in a desperate attempt for help. But before he could get help online, a passerby was quick to lend him some help.

“Gladly, this guy Omar Kiwan, a Lebanese living in Cebu saw us on the road. If it wasn’t because of him, we wouldn’t be able to give the cat first-aid treatment,” he said.

Garcia and Kiwan, who didn’t know each other until that day, brought the cat to a veterinarian together. Before heading to the vet, they cleaned the cat’s wound and covered it to minimise the chances of getting an infection.

“We arrived at the animal clinic at around 6:25 p.m., where his wound was reassessed. After 30 minutes in the operating room, he went out with his wound all stitched up,” said Garcia.

One of the Good Samaritans, Omar Kiwan, gleefully looks “Juanded” being treated at the vet. | Contributed Photo: Kevin Garcia

Garcia said Omar’s help was pivotal in saving the cat’s life, as he had the things needed to transport the cat to the vet.

“I wanted to emphasize how big of a help Omar was. I could have not done it alone as this cat was a stray and without the linen, I might have ended up with scratches and blood,” he said.

Now the cat is in good hands under the care of Omar.

It even has a name, Juanded, given by the two Good Samaritans.

“It’s our Filipino slang for wounded and with cats having nine lives, he has eight more to go,” Garcia explained. /bmjo