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A traveler exploring Da Nang, Vietnam, noticed a dirty and malnourished cat sleeping beside a dumpster. What happened next moved online viewers. Sarah, who is known on Reddit as u/Nicoletravels__, told Newsweek via email that she spotted the cat outside a hotel construction zone. He was beside a dumpster, underneath rusted metal. When the cat finally spotted her, he ran up to her without hesitation. And to her, that was a sign to help. However, the rescue mission did not prove to be easy as the cat showed signs of fear. Sarah tried to capture him, but any time she got close, he would run away or hiss at her. This only encouraged her to keep trying. She began feeding him, slowly gaining his trust over three weeks. “My plan was to visit Nha Trang after Da Nang, but I ended up staying in Da Nang so I could be with him,” Sarah said. “I was afraid to leave him since the hotel did not feed him and relied on guests to.” Photos of a stray cat found in Vietnam sleeping under a dumpster. Sarah reached out to local animal rescues and shelters but was met with the same answer: they were at full capacity and could not help the cat. She knew the only answer was to keep the tiny, dirty cat for herself. About 1 million cats—strays and pets—in Vietnam become victims of illegal wildlife trade, according to animal welfare organization Four Paws International. These felines are stolen from the streets and people’s homes to be trafficked across the country, sold and killed for meat. However, opposition to dog and cat consumption is growing in the country. Determined not to let this happen to her new friend, Sarah made a vet appointment, booked a pet-friendly Airbnb, and informed the hotel she was taking him with her, which the workers did not seem happy about, but they eventually agreed. “As I was leaving, they told me to never come back, so I assume they were embarrassed,” she said. She posted photos of the cat during their first night together to the subreddit channel r/cats on October 28. He curled up next to her, catching up on sleep. She wrote in the caption that she loves him so much already, and that he adopted her. He has already adjusted well to the indoor lifestyle and shows no interest in getting back outside. But the real test will come when she flies home with him to Canada. Plus, bringing rescue animals across borders can be a complicated process depending on the country, often involving vaccinations, paperwork and airline approval. “He needs to have his rabies vaccine for 30 days before he can come back to Toronto,” she said. “But we will be leaving at the end of the month.” Reddit Reacts The Reddit post quickly melted hearts, as people applauded Sarah for stepping in to save him, and as of Thursday, it had reached more than 16,000 upvotes and 134 comments. “Good job! Looks like a sweet, grateful little friend you’ve made,” wrote one user. Another said: “From dumpster to diva—he’s living the dream now.” A third person commented: “Thank you for saving him and giving him the life he deserves. Lots of love and happiness to you both.” 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.
