I saw a little kitten sitting by the roadside, looking dazed, as if he were sick. He looked so pitiful. People were walking by, but no one stopped for him.
I don't like cats, and I never thought about keeping one. But when I saw him like that, I really couldn't bear to just walk away. I waited by the roadside for a long time, but no one came to pick him up.
I started to feel that if I didn't help him, he wouldn't survive. After struggling for quite a while, I finally decided to help him. I had never taken care of a pet before.
I was even a bit afraid to touch him. I took him to a hotel to isolate him for a while. I wanted to give him some water.
But he just lay there without any response. I started to feel like he might not make it. So I searched for a nearby hospital.
I quickly took him there. After arriving at the hospital, they gave him a check-up. His eyes and nose were severely infected.
The doctor said his condition wasn’t good. They prescribed some medication for him. And gave him some food.
He ate with a good appetite. He seemed to have a decent appetite. I was supposed to take the high-speed train to Nanjing.
But I couldn’t take him on the train. So I canceled my train ticket. And took a rideshare to Nanjing with him instead.
He was very well-behaved the entire trip. Sleeping quietly in the box. When we arrived in Nanjing at night, he became more energetic.
He ate a little more. And let out some soft, kitten-like meows. The next morning, when I got up to feed him, I suddenly noticed that he wasn’t responding to me.
He couldn’t even lift his head. His breathing was very weak. I quickly rushed him to the hospital.
At that point, his body temperature had dropped below 35°C. The doctor said he might not make it. Even if he survived, it would cost a lot of money.
The doctor asked if I still wanted to save him. I said we must save him. I couldn’t bear to leave him on the street.
How could I give up on him now? The doctor decided to put him on an IV. And prescribed a lot of medication, telling me, that if he died before finishing the IV, they would refund the cost of the meds.
Hearing that, I almost couldn’t hold it together. Thinking that he might die at any moment I felt so reluctant to let him go. Even though I had only known him for a day.
After the IV, he just lay quietly in the hospital room. He barely moved the entire morning. Several times, I thought he had stopped breathing.
Only by looking closely could I see that he was still breathing. By the afternoon, he was able to get up and eat on his own. Seeing him start to eat, I finally felt a little relieved.
The doctor said they didn’t expect him to be this strong. They had thought he wouldn’t make it. I also thought he was amazing.
I really wanted to see him healthy and strong. After spending the whole day with him during the IV, I could finally go back to the hotel to rest a bit. By nighttime, he was able to open his eyes a little.
He was also sneezing a bit. His nose was running quite a bit. But his appetite was still good.
He ate quite a lot. And he even had the energy to cause a little mischief. On the third morning, his eyes were even more open.
He climbed onto my feet and sat there. He looked very dependent on me. Seeing him in much better condition, I gave him a name: Jiujiu.
Hoping that he really has nine lives. And that he recovers quickly. On the fifth day, Jiujiu was eating well in the morning.
His bowel movements were normal too. But by the afternoon, Jiujiu started to lose his appetite and had diarrhea. I took him to the hospital, and the doctor gave him some anti-diarrhea medication.
They said to start him on that. But after two days, he still had diarrhea. At night, as I was about to sleep, he suddenly vomited.
It scared me a lot. So I rushed him to the hospital again. We found a 24-hour pet hospital.
The doctor said there was nothing wrong with the food we gave him. They tested him for panleukopenia, coronavirus, calicivirus, and parasites — all possible illnesses were tested. All results came back negative.
The doctor said he was probably just too small, weak, and with a poor immune system. So his digestive system wasn’t doing well. During the check-up, the doctor suddenly found that his left hind leg was injured.
His little foot was swollen. I had noticed earlier that his left hind leg was thicker than the right one. The last doctor who examined him also said his right hind leg was disabled.
So I had always thought his right hind leg was the problem. But it turned out his left leg was the issue. The doctor cleaned his wound.
And found that his left foot had a large wound. It was already infected and had to be thoroughly cleaned. While I helped hold Jiujiu down, seeing how much pain he was in as he struggled, I felt so heartbroken for him.
My poor little Jiujiu, how could he be so pitiful? How much pain must he have been in these past few days? Looking at his shocking wound, I felt both sad and angry.
If the last doctor had found his injury earlier, the wound wouldn’t have become so severe. After his wound was cleaned, I took him home. Just as I was about to put him to sleep, he threw up again.
I quickly rushed him back to the hospital. They gave him an anti-nausea shot. And put him back on an IV.
We spent the whole night going through this ordeal. The next morning, I came to check on him. He looked a little better.
But he was still very weak. Seeing him so small, curled up in the hospital room, I really wished he would get better soon. So he wouldn’t have to suffer so much anymore.
On the ninth day, while cleaning up Jiujiu, I found tiny white worms in his stool. It was the third time we tested him for panleukopenia. Thank goodness the result was negative.
They also tested his stool. But his stool tested positive for parasites. The doctor said it was parasitic gastroenteritis.
If we don’t deworm him, he’ll continue to have diarrhea. And in severe cases, he could die from exhaustion. But he was too small, weighing only 350 grams.
He was just skin and bones. Many deworming medications were not suitable for him. The doctor and I discussed for quite some time.
We finally found a gentler option. And gave him a small dose. The doctor said he would still have diarrhea for the next few days.
We need to wait until he passes all the parasites. He’ll be very weak, and we need to watch him closely. I spent almost all my time watching over him.
I haven't had a full night's sleep. I was so afraid something might go wrong with him. Luckily, he really liked the new kitten food I bought for him.
I also kept giving him goat milk formula and probiotics. The little guy was in good spirits. His foot was also slowly recovering.
I knew he was fighting against his illness. Hang in there, Jiujiu. You're the best.
On the tenth day, I brought Jiujiu home. After coming home, Jiujiu seemed to be in good condition, eating and drinking well. He was also in good spirits.
Since the new cage hadn’t arrived yet, Jiujiu had to stay in the box for a few more days. At mealtime, I quickly fed him. I applied the eye drops, nasal drops, and antibiotics the doctor prescribed.
And I made sure he took his medication on time. The doctor said Jiujiu’s foot would need time to heal. Right now, he can’t walk far.
After walking for a bit, he has to sit down and rest. He walks with a slight limp. There’s nothing we can do — the doctor said his left leg is congenitally disabled.
We can only let it heal and hope he gets better as he grows. Watching him walk like that really breaks my heart. Poor Jiujiu, he might be a three-legged cat in the future.
But I still hope that under my care, his leg will heal. On the thirteenth day, Jiujiu still had diarrhea. His foot was injured, so he couldn’t use the litter box.
So I had to keep wiping his bottom every day. Since yesterday, when Jiujiu passed three large worms, his diarrhea had stopped. He’s no longer a smelly little kitten.
His little foot also started to dry and scab over. It should heal soon. Jiujiu finally pulled through.
I had taken Jiujiu to six different pet hospitals. Every doctor said he probably wouldn’t survive. But my Jiujiu survived.
He’s so strong and amazing. Since the day I picked up Jiujiu, two weeks have passed. It’s only now that I can finally relax.
I know that once he fully recovers, he will grow up healthy and happy. I never imagined that a small life could affect me so much. I’m so glad I didn’t leave him behind.
It’s been half a month since I picked up Jiujiu. Ever since his deworming, his condition has visibly improved. I’m truly happy for him.
He’s not afraid in this new environment either. Jiujiu is so well-behaved and doesn’t cause any trouble at all. When he's hungry, he walks to my feet.
He looks at me pitifully. His sincere little eyes are truly irresistible. Sometimes when I'm busy, he'll quietly come over and watch me.
On the twentieth day, Jiujiu got scared by thunder. When I petted him, he was trembling. So I had to approach him slowly each time, Gently petting him and telling him not to be afraid.
Over the past few days, he finally recovered from the scare. He's starting to stick close to me again. It's been 20 days since I found Jiujiu.
He's grown from 340 grams to 460 grams. I feed him every day, give him water, wipe his face, and clean his bottom. It's busy, but also heartwarming.
Watching him slowly get better and grow, and gradually bond with me. He'll wander around my feet while I work, and lie down on them. It seems like he really likes my chubby feet.
On the twenty-eighth day, I noticed Jiujiu has become bolder and more relaxed at home. This shows that he's gradually adapting to the environment. As Jiujiu becomes healthier, his appearance has also noticeably improved.
Not only that, he's also smart, obedient, and understanding. At night, Jiujiu sleeps quietly, and in the morning, he walks into my room, meowing at me, playing hide-and-seek with me, and staying by my side while I work. I feel really lucky.
Starting a few days ago, Jiujiu has become my bathroom buddy. Every time I go to the bathroom, Jiujiu comes over and squats by my feet. At first, I thought he just liked being near me.
But then I looked it up and learned that cats have a strong sense of territory. So cats believe they are the leaders of the house. And their owner is their subordinate.
Cats are worried that their owners won’t cover their waste in the bathroom, which would expose their scent. Cats are afraid their owners might be in danger, so they watch over their owners in the bathroom. It turns out Jiujiu has been protecting me all along.
I love him even more for that. It's been a month since Jiujiu came home. I love him so much.
Jiujiu has been home for a month now. Lately, everything has been stable. But I often can't find him at home.
One day, I found out he had climbed into the wardrobe. It seems he's no longer treating himself as an outsider. He wanders around the house every day.
When he's tired of playing, he finds a small corner and takes a nap. Only the sound of shaking the cat food container can lure him out. Now Jiujiu has become a little clingy.
I can barely move around the house. Wherever I go, he follows. Wherever I stop, within a minute, he's sure to appear at my feet.
I'm always afraid I might accidentally step on him. There were a few times when I lifted my foot and got startled by him. I almost tripped myself.
I guess I also need to adjust to living with Jiujiu. Ever since Jiujiu's bed had a countdown to the college entrance exams, he's often been staring at the elementary school downstairs. He looks like he really wants to go to school.
It seems education must start from an early age. Jiujiu is still a little foodie. Even if he's just eaten, whenever he sees me eating, he'll run over and meow at me.
Yesterday morning, I was eating congee with preserved egg and pork. He came over and pitifully looked up at me. I gave him a spoonful.
To my surprise, he ate it with great appetite. He seemed to really appreciate my cooking. Jiujiu is truly a gift from above.
I hope he has a good appetite every day. And grows up quickly. On the thirty-third day, Jiujiu's little toe couldn't be saved.
I had mentioned Jiujiu’s left leg was disabled. But recently I noticed a problem with his little toe. So I took him to the hospital for a check-up.
During the first wound cleaning, the doctor told me that Jiujiu's little toe had already turned black. It was likely necrotic. The doctor asked if I wanted to have it amputated.
I really didn't want Jiujiu to become a disabled kitten. So I asked the doctor if we could avoid cutting off his toe. The doctor said it was possible.
We could wait and see if it heals over time. It might still recover. A few days ago, I noticed that Jiujiu's little toe was showing more exposed bone.
I took him to see the doctor. The doctor said the skin around the exposed bone was starting to shrink. The blood supply was cut off.
It seemed the toe was indeed necrotic. It had to be amputated. Otherwise, it could affect the other toes.
I was worried the ankle might hurt, so I asked the doctor to give him some anesthesia. The doctor said the toe was already necrotic, so there was no feeling left. With a quick snip, the doctor cut it off.
After the toe was amputated, there was almost no bleeding from the wound. Jiujiu didn’t react much either. It seemed he really didn’t feel any pain.
Maybe Jiujiu wasn’t in pain, but seeing his little foot missing a toe still broke my heart. After he got home, I held him in my arms the whole time. He just lay there quietly, like a child who had been wronged.
I knew he must be missing his little toe. Thankfully, I brought his little toe back with me. I had it made into a specimen.
It’s a part of Jiujiu. I will keep it safe for him. Even though he's missing a toe, it hasn’t affected Jiujiu’s running and jumping.
Seeing him happy again finally put my mind at ease. Sometimes, when things have decayed, if you don’t remove them in time, they'll keep causing infections. This morning, I steeled myself to remove the necrotic tissue, so the wound could start to heal.
Only then can life start anew. I think life should be like this too. It’s been 40 days since Jiujiu came home.
He’s been through eye and nasal infections, foot injuries, gastroenteritis, and constipation. He can finally be considered fully recovered. Now, he’s a healthy and happy little cat.
Recently, I’ve noticed Jiujiu guards his food while eating. And he eats very fast. He gobbles it down.
He licks the plate clean every time. I know it’s because he used to be a stray, probably never having a full meal while living on the streets. Guarding his food is instinctive.
In time, he’ll understand. He doesn’t need to guard his food anymore, and he’ll never go hungry again. As Jiujiu’s foot heals, his space for activities is also getting bigger.
He can now jump from a small stool directly onto the couch. He climbs onto me and lies down, warm and soft. He even jumps on the dining table when I finish preparing meals.
He’s such a little foodie. On the forty-fifth day, I stopped working to play with Jiujiu. He cooperated and played with me nicely.
He kept pawing at my hand. When I walked away, he followed me to the bed to play. I teased him, making him jump in surprise.
He suddenly pounced on me, giving me a start. When I rolled over in bed in the morning, I saw him right beside me. That feeling was so wonderful.
I don’t know where Jiujiu learned his stretching poses, but he even covers his face—it’s just too cute. It’s been nearly two months now, and Jiujiu has become more and more clingy. He’s almost always by my side.
He always finds a spot where he can see me and lies down. He used to sleep in his own bed, but after I came back from a trip, he started sleeping on my bed. He used to need a small stool to jump onto the bed, but last night, when there was no stool by the bed, he ran out of the room, got a running start, and jumped right onto the bed.
People really do change. The old me would never have allowed a cat to sleep on the bed. I used to be a little allergic to animal fur, and it made me feel itchy all over.
But now, it doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s really unexpected. Jiujiu’s clinginess is one-sided.
He can cling to me, but if I try to pet him, he’ll bite me. A few days ago, he bit me hard enough to draw a little blood. I had to get a vaccine.
He’s such a loveable but naughty little cat. What can I do with him? Of course, I forgive him.
On the sixty-sixth day, Jiujiu’s foot finally healed. His foot injury took the longest to recover. Before, the skin and flesh had separated.
It took time for new skin and tissue to grow back. It's not something that can be fixed in just a day or two. At the time, the doctor said if the hair follicles were damaged, Jiujiu’s little foot might never grow fur again.
Luckily, the injury wasn’t that deep. Now, his little foot has recovered and is furry again. Even though Jiujiu is missing a toe, it hasn’t affected his movement.
He runs around the house every day, proving that this injury doesn’t bother him at all. Even though he’s healed, the little pad on that foot is still a bit deformed. It looks like it’s been stepped on.
I can’t imagine how much pain he must have been in. I hope no one hurt him on purpose. It’s been over two months, and seeing Jiujiu recover, I realize Jiujiu is really a treasure of a cat.
He constantly surprises me. Even though I know he’s very clean, I still worried he would resist taking a bath. But to my surprise, he actually enjoyed the bath.
While I was filling the bathtub, Jiujiu was happily wandering around the room, playing hide-and-seek with me. He had no idea that he was about to experience his first bath. I gently placed him in the water.
At first, I could tell he was a bit scared. Once he got into the tub, Jiujiu took a sip of the bathwater. The temperature was just right.
It seems his “cat tea” tasted pretty good. He quickly got used to it, and started exploring the bathtub. He looked so comfortable.
I slowly poured water over him, getting him wet. Once he was soaked, I realized Jiujiu had grown quite chubby. He’s the solid type.
Who could resist such a cute little kitten? Seeing how much he enjoyed it, I decided to spoil him a little more. I brought over his food bowl, and he ate while bathing.
When the bowl started to float, I suddenly realized— this wasn’t just a bath, it was Jiujiu’s viral “floating afternoon tea”! He was practically having a celebrity bath moment. So Jiujiu started leisurely enjoying his afternoon tea.
Who wouldn’t want to live such a happy life? After eating, it was time to use the shampoo. I specifically chose a low-foam shampoo for him.
It's easier to rinse off. As I applied the shampoo, my hands became slippery. He smelled so nice.
I just wanted to cuddle him and give him a kiss. After washing him clean, I wrapped him in a towel. As a reward for being so good, I quickly gave him a cat snack.
He ate it with delight. I think he’s probably fallen in love with baths. After blow-drying Jiujiu, I noticed his fur had become even softer.
It was fluffy and shiny. My little “stinky socks” had become “sweet socks. ” We lay on the bed together and played.
I thought, happiness is really this simple. After his bath and dinner, we lay on the bed watching TV together. Jiujiu’s favorite show is *Crayon Shin-chan*.
Every time I switch to *Crayon Shin-chan*, Jiujiu gets super excited. He starts bouncing around on the bed. Since he loves it, we watch it with him.
He glances at the TV and then looks at me. This scene is so heartwarming. In the third month, Jiujiu went to get his vaccine.
He finally weighed over 3 pounds. So he could get vaccinated. Now he’s a clever little guy.
He knows that every time he’s put in the carrier, it means he’s going out. So the moment I take out the carrier, he gets very cautious. After a battle of wits and courage, we finally got to the hospital.
At first, the doctor didn’t even recognize Jiujiu. He said Jiujiu had gotten much fatter. Once outside, Jiujiu was super timid.
And when it was time for the shot, he was even more scared. He kept trying to hide. The doctor had to hold him in his arms to give him the shot.
Thankfully, the shot didn’t hurt. After the shot, he had to be observed for half an hour. He stayed curled up in my arms the whole time.
When he heard a nearby dog barking, he burrowed into my hair. He looked so funny with his hair all tangled. It was both adorable and hilarious.
The doctor said he might have a loss of appetite over the next few days, be sleepy, and less active. But by evening, Jiujiu had a huge appetite. He ate a lot of cat food and canned food.
There was no sign of a loss of appetite. At over three months old, Jiujiu has learned to burrow into the blankets. Last night, I suddenly felt something nibbling on my foot.
I woke up and looked, and saw that little troublemaker Jiujiu had burrowed under the blankets. But I was too tired, and had to get up early for work the next day. So I put Jiujiu outside the bedroom.
In the morning, I went to feed Jiujiu. I couldn’t find him for a long time. Then I found him curled up behind the air conditioner.
Seeing the look in his eyes, I suddenly felt guilty. He usually sleeps on the bed, but last night he was alone in the living room. He must have felt insecure, which is why he hid in that little corner.
To make it up to Jiujiu, I decided to give him a better meal. Steamed mackerel, tomato beef brisket, goose eggs, ribs, grilled salmon. Seeing how much he enjoyed it, I think he forgave me.
Last night, I kept waiting for Jiujiu to come inside, worried that he might still remember being locked out. I fell asleep before he came in. But when I woke up, I found him lying on my pillow, sleeping soundly.
Seeing how peacefully he slept, I finally felt relieved. Maybe I’m being a bit sentimental, but I really want Jiujiu to be happy. Because to me, he’s never just a “cat” like people say.
He’s the treasure I saved from the hands of death. It doesn’t matter if he sheds fur, or if he’s playful, or if there are germs. As long as he’s healthy and happy, that’s enough.
He’s the sweet part of my life, the cure for the little annoyances of everyday life. I just hope he stays with me for a long time. Thank you for watching.
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