A year and a half ago, Russell the cat only just survived a house fire, barely making it out alive. He sustained 3rd degree burns all over his face and body and has since been under the care of staff at the Animal Emergency Hospital & Urgent Care in North Carolina.
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The injuries that Russell sustained resulted in him having to undergo several amputations as well as spend months heavily sedated to ease the pain.
After more than a year of intensive treatment, Russell is still feeling the effects of the injuries on his body.
His spirit, however, is a different story.
Russell has become a nurse to the other animals recuperating at the pet hospital.
He goes from room to room, not stopping until the staff gently insist that he take some rest.
“He wants to meet all our patients. He just wants to be with them,” hospital staff said.
“I don’t know if he can sense that other animals are in pain… but he does seem to have some weird knack for connecting with patients.”
“I think he helps other animals feel at ease. We’re a clinic, so I’m sure he helps alleviate their stress,” said Alan Wilford, one of the staff at the hospital.
“Most cats are independent and aloof, but he likes to be with other animals.”
And it’s not all about him. He really enjoys giving companionship to others.”
“He’s a rock star here. Everyone wants to see him. We’d be happy to keep him as our clinic mascot.”
Hospital staff say that Russell may never be able to recover and get back to his old life, but that hasn’t impacted his ability to love: “He’s adopted us,” they said.
To help Russell, please visit the Good Samaritan Fund. All the contributions will go to paying for Russell’s medical expenses and cost of treatment and follow-up care.