Cats have fur coats, but under extreme wintertime conditions, not even a fur coat will protect a cat from the cold. Sadly, there have been countless strays who lost their lives when they weren’t able to find shelter and warmth during a brutal cold spell. The feline body reacts much like our own under such conditions. As their body cuts off circulation to the extremities in an effort to save vital organs at the center, frostbite ensues (the ears and paws are the first to go). If the body’s core temperature falls below a certain point, death ensues.
During an extended cold snap, when temperatures had been below zero for weeks, one man stepped outside and was shocked to see an orange tabby lying, apparently frozen to death, on his front porch. But then he noticed one of the cat’s paws was twitching a little. Being a seventh grade science teacher, he knew exactly what to do.
He brought the near-frozen cat inside and gave her warm bath. At first, she wasn’t showing much in the way of signs of life, but soon she opened her eyes and was clearly regaining consciousness. Next, he swaddled the cat in nice, warm blankets. When his encouraging words got a meow from her, he became truly optimistic. “You’re getting there. One more time.” Meow! As the cat started to show signs of improving, he treated her to a mug of milk.
Incredibly, just six hours after nearly being frozen to death, the cat was up on her feet and prowling around the house. In fact, she was getting to know her new forever home: how could he not adopt her? It almost goes without saying that he named the cat Elsa after the ice princess in the Disney movie “Frozen”!
How did you like the saga of this furry little ice princess? Let us know in the comments section below. Be sure to like and share, too!
