Internet Comes Together to Save Stray Kitten Found Covered in Glue

Aug 20, 2023

The story of a rescued kitten has captivated the internet this week after a 27-year-old from the Philippines began sharing updates.

Small kitten Coco was found alone near the Reddit user's apartment building. The animal has since been taken in by the poster. When she was first found, Coco was covered in a sticky substance.

It is estimated that between 60 and 100 million feral cats live in the U.S. without homes. The lives of felines on the street are short. Contagious diseases such as herpes, viral conjunctivitis, feline AIDS and leukemia are common. Even easily treatable conditions can become deadly for cats that do not have homes.

The rescuer, known by the name ikedness, told Newsweek: "I initially thought that she was just covered in oil and thought to clean her and then put her back where I found her. So I picked her up using blankets. Then a lady told me that it was glue or adhesive that's stuck on her.

"The same lady told me that some kids were playing with her on Saturday and she got covered in glue," the owner added. "I found her Monday morning."

With the tiny kitten to care for, the internet user asked for advice on Reddit about how to remove the glue safely.

"I Googled how to remove glue from cats, and the suggestion was to soak [her fur] in vegetable oil and leave it for a bit. It did work with the glue stuck on her fur but not on the glue stuck on her skin," said the poster. "So I posted on Reddit for advice, and one Redditor said to use coconut oil. After two to three hours of light brushing with coconut oil and a sponge, 99 percent of the glue was removed."

Many feral cats will live difficult and short lives, but some are lucky enough to find people who will care for them.

If you come across a stray cat, there is advice for best practice. For example, it is important to approach a stray cat with caution—they may be fearful and react in a way that could cause injuries for you or them.

The first step is always to check for an owner. Putting out messages in your neighborhood can help find them. Similarly, getting the cat scanned at a local veterinary clinic for a microchip that holds the owner's information can help locate their address.

Experts also advise thinking carefully before taking on a stray cat yourself. Dr. José Arce, formerly president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, previously told Newsweek: "Adopting any cat is a big responsibility. Potential adopters should first ensure that they have the time, space and resources needed to provide a cat with lifelong affection, food and veterinary care."

With the help of friendly online cat lovers and the local veterinarian, ikedness and Coco have got off to an excellent start.

"She will stay with me," the kitten's owner said. "It feels amazing that r/cats went above and beyond to help Coco. I couldn't have done half of this without them, from the advice, donations, kindness and support."

After getting lots of assistance from kind strangers online, the Reddit user has been sharing plenty of updates with followers.

While Coco still has some growing to do and will need plenty of care, she seems to be doing well. "There is no problem with her appetite," said the poster. "She likes to eat. Her temperature is normal, and she can now run and play as you can see in the videos."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.