An elusive cat with an alarming appearance, revealing the harsh life on the streets, has achieved the miracle he always hoped for at the hand of a woman whose heart turned out to be more stubborn than she imagined.

All ragged, with some injuries and an obviously sad look on his face, the creature touched the heart of a generous woman from Montreal, Canada, named Maria-Eve. When she saw the cat wandering senselessly through the neighborhood, she couldn’t pass it by.

This is what the kitty looked like the first time he was spotted by the rescuer.

You could clearly see the cat’s tough past. The first time Maria-Eve saw him, he was rummaging through some garbage containers.

Like many stray animals in the world, the cat only fed himself with the scraps of food he managed to catch and the leftovers that some generous soul deigned to provide him with.

That is not the life any creature deserves.

Maria-Eve wanted to do something for him and naively thought that at that very moment she could rescue him. Unfortunately, the matter was not further from reality, the cat was quite distrustful.

This kitty didn’t have much faith in humans and when the woman tried to approach him, he ran away immediately.

She wouldn’t let herself be caught for anything, or at least that’s what the creature thought.

With its fur covered in dirt and its body in pain, the cat continued to roam the area, so that day was not the only one on which Maria-Eve encountered it.

Determined to help him, the woman planned to gain his trust no matter what.

The woman planned a series of strategies to catch the cat, but wild, survival instincts always seemed to win out. Until, after almost three weeks of failed attempts, hunger overcame her intelligence and the animal’s tummy betrayed her cunning.

Finally, Maria-Eve managed to catch it.

Although she had every intention of taking care of him, this good woman knew she could not do it alone and turned to some local shelters to lend a hand. However, she got no response.

Faced with this situation, Maria-Eve took the kitten to a private veterinarian.

After the tests, the kitten was released and she was instructed to take care of him at home. That same night of the rescue, the slippery cat remembered what it was like to sleep under a small roof and surrounded by true love.

Maria-Eve gave the feline a comfortable bed to rest and recuperate.

The cat, about four years old, was shy of his new surroundings but had given up his instinct to escape. Somehow, this whiskered gentleman understood that they only wanted to help him, and that outside only hunger and an inclement winter awaited him.

Running away from the house would have been his undoing.

Fortunately, volunteers from the Chatons Orphelins Montréal animal shelter heard about the case and decided to offer their help to Maria-Eve with the cat’s care.

Although the cat did not have any serious illnesses, his body worn out by the bad life he was leading required attention.

“He had some battle marks, including an abscess on his cheek. His ears were frozen, indicating he had spent at least one winter outdoors. His rescuer saved his life, as he would not have survived another winter out there,” said Celine Crom of Chatons Orphelins Montréal.

By the time the shelter members met him, the cat kept his head down and his distrust of his surroundings was evident. Maria-Eve had done everything she could to help the feline but for his well-being she decided to leave him in the hands of the experts.

“He was terrified of all the changes. He was missing some teeth and his ears were scarred from frostbite. His wandering life must have been very difficult,” said Celine.

Lily, a volunteer at Chatons Orphelins Montréal, became the temporary mother for the cat they decided to name Marcel. Experienced in this type of case, the woman knew how to win the feline’s love in a matter of hours.

“Marcel fell asleep next to his foster mother. It was a very promising start. Although he was easily startled by some sounds, he eventually began to understand that there was no more danger there,” Celine said.

Over the next few weeks with Lily, Marcel managed to come out of his shell and put on weight. When he was rescued he weighed less than 6kg and gradually regained volume and energy.

“He had a difficult past, so the changes worry him. He carries some of his past on his shoulders, but thanks to the love and attention he has received from his foster home, Marcel has really blossomed,” recounted Celine.

This cat’s life improved completely and two months after his rescue he found a forever home: a couple opened the doors of their home and their hearts to him. Marcel is now a very healthy and pampered little animal, it is hard to believe that he is the sad and injured cat that Marie-Eve rescued.

We all have the possibility to do something for a defenseless animal, all it takes is determination and the necessary love.