Tears at Incredible Transformation as Man Rescues 'Dying' Kitten From Street
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Animal lovers' hearts have melted as a man showed the difference in a dangerously sick kitten he found and nursed back to health.
Jakub, 27, a journalist from Poland, now lives in Warsaw, but in 2023 was living in his hometown of Częstochowa, where he helped save the life of a cat, now his best friend.
On June 20, Jakub shared to post to Reddit's r/cats via his account u/Mighty_He-Man, writing: "I found this little, dying fellow on the street. I'd never had a cat before, but I couldn't just leave him there.
"So I took him with me—first home, then to the vet. And... it's been almost two years since I got myself a loving, four-legged friend."
He shared photographs of Bandi through the years, first as a thin, sick and drenched wet kitten—and then him now, looking well-cared for, fit and healthy.
Jakub explained his coworker was driving in the middle of the night when she noticed "what looked like an undefined ball of fur in the middle of the road," and found the tiny ginger kitten who had "had a runny nose, pus in his eyes, and was breathing heavily—but alive."
She took him home for the night, and the very next day Jakub took him in and rushed him to the veterinarian, who "didn't sugarcoat anything," warning that "saving this cat might be very difficult and equally expensive."
Bandi when he was found as a kitten, and right, him now.
Bandi when he was found as a kitten, and right, him now.
Reddit u/Mighty_He-Man
The first vet's visit alone cost 400PLN ($110), and Bandi required lots of medication including for ear mites, tapeworm and antibiotics. He struggled to use the litter box, and required regular cleaning to his eyes and ears, as he was "practically blind" from his infection for the first several weeks.
"Still, his body didn't give up. The will to live that kept him going that night stayed with him through recovery," Jakub said—and each week, Bandi improved.
"By autumn 2023, he was a relatively healthy, lively, social, and mischievous young cat," Jakub revealed. "Since he recovered in my family home, where I lived with my mother and grandma, he was surrounded by people from the beginning—including neighbors and relatives visiting us, so he has never been afraid of strangers."
Jakub, too, was changed by his new companion, admitting he had always been "more of a dog person," growing up with childhood dogs Miki and Dropek—both of whom died a few short years and months respectively before he found Bandi.
Bandi and Jakub, and right, Bandi exploring the balcony of his home.
Bandi and Jakub, and right, Bandi exploring the balcony of his home.
Reddit u/Mighty_He-Man
Now, he and Bandi live together with Jakub's girlfriend and her 17-year-old cat, Kicia, with Bandi getting used to living in a smaller space and with another cat.
"He's full of energy, curious about every corner and new smell. He's very vocal and often communicates his needs—mostly playtime," Jakub said. "We love chasing each other around the apartment, ambushing each other, and cuddling.
"When I return from work, Bandi gets super lively and happy. During our play sessions, he's already broken a few things—cheap and expensive—but they're just objects."
Reddit users were hugely moved by Jakub and Bandi's story, and the cat's transformation from a dangerously sick kitten to a strong, healthy young tomcat, awarding the post more than 73,000 upvotes.
"Thank u so much for this, that's how love changes everything," one commenter wrote, as another praised Bandi's "serious glow up."
"He was so frail and barely hanging on, and now he has grown to be such a handsome gentleman because of you! Lovely story," another wrote.
And as one put it: "You've done him a wonderful service. I'm sure he's eternally grateful."
In the United States, if you find a stray or lost cat, you should first find out whether the cat appears to be feral or friendly and used to humans. A healthy feral cat should be left alone, but a rescue or veterinarian should be called if it appears to be sick, a medically-reviewed report from PetMD advises.
If you find a friendly stray cat, try to check for identification such as a collar, provide water and food, move the cat to a safe space and look online for missing pet discussions. The cat should also be brought to a vet to check for a microchip.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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