Jason Belisha thought he was having a bit of bad luck when his rental car broke down until he realized that it likely happened for a reason. So he could save the life of a distressed stray cat.
Belisha was returning his car back to the dealership in Decatur, Georgia when he hear urgent meowing in the parking lot.
He looked to the left. And then to the right, but didn’t see anything. He finally found the source of the sound when he looked under his car.
Soaking wet and looking for a friend
It was a small grey cat that was all by himself and soaking wet. Belisha called the cat over and was shocked when it came right to him.
The cat nuzzled his face on Belisha’s hand and was eager for his affection.
Belisha had plans for the day, and rescuing a cat wasn’t in his schedule. But he knew he couldn’t leave this kitten all alone and decided to employ the Golden Rule.
“It’s moments like this that I tell myself, ‘This must be happening for a reason,’” Belisha told The Dodo. “And if I were a homeless kitten, I would want someone to help me.”
Belisha advised the rental car company that he was going to need a car for a few more hours so he could drive the kitty to the shelter. But when Belisha arrived at the shelter, he didn’t exactly get the help he was looking for.
“They told me that since he’s older than 3 months, they would put him back on the street where I found him because he could probably survive on his own,” Belisha explained. “No thank you!”
They did give him a carrying case for the cat, but the kitty, who he named Popeye, didn’t want to go into it. Popeye wanted to be held by his new “dad” and put up a stink whenever he was placed down.
“He would keep screaming except for when I held him in my arms,” Belisha said.
So, Belisha just held the cat while he picked up his car from the auto shop and went to the pet store. When they arrived, Popeye flawlessly used the litter box and became quick friends with Belisha’s corgi, Goose.
“They were instant buds,” Belisha said. “[It was] like a miracle.”
Popeye fit right into his foster home and loved sleeping on the bed with his foster dad and dog bro. Unfortunately, Belisha was unable to give Popeye a forever home.
Popeye’s miracle
“One of my dear friends reached out and said she had a place for him if I couldn’t keep him,” Belisha said. “I took the opportunity and brought him over before I got too attached to him. Given another few days, I would have gotten irrational!”
Belisha was sad to have to say goodbye to his new friend but was overjoyed knowing that he now had a safe and loving permanent home.
“He was a joy and a pleasure to have around,” Belisha said. “Goose and I will miss him a lot, but he’ll always be close by at my friend’s place … and his new mom sends me videos all the time, so I know he’s OK.”