Tears Over Cats Left ‘Paralyzed With Fear’ After Cruel Abandonment

A pair of cats was found “paralyzed with fear” after being abandoned in the cruelest of ways.

Oslo and Dorian, as they were later christened by their rescuer, Allie, from Jacksonville, Florida, could easily have died had someone not intervened that day.

Allie and her daughter run a rescue called Chloe and Nala’s Club. Their focus is on cat rescue and rehabilitation. As part of their efforts, they manage several cat colonies, providing food, water, and shelter as well as a means to potentially trap and sterilize cats in an effort to control burgeoning population numbers.

It was at one of these colonies that they first encountered Oslo and Dorian.

“We organize a group of cat colony feeders and my friend who feeds saw Oslo and Dorian lying in the grass near a pond,” Allie told Newsweek. “She tried feeding Dorian because his eyes were open but he did not move. She thought the other one, Oslo, was dead. His eyes were closed and he did not move.”

Allie’s friend messaged her about Dorian and Oslo, and her daughter was dispatched to bring them in. When she got there, she found both cats still “paralyzed with fear.”

“They sat in the same position for over 3 hours. They never moved, they were so scared,” Allie said. “We know this because we compared the time that my friend first messaged me their picture when she saw them to the time my daughter was able to get there to take them. Who knows how long they were like that before my friend even saw them.”

It was immediately clear, however, that Oslo and Dorian had once had homes. Both were in decent shape and differed wildly from the colony cats and other felines who lived outside.

America has a major feral cat problem. A 2014 study published in the journal Zoonoses Public Health previously estimated that the U.S. is home to anywhere between 60 and 100 million feral cats. That number is likely to have increased significantly more than a decade later.

Allie said cat abandonments are a “huge issue” in the area where they are based. “Some cats are dropped off at cat colonies because people think there are other cats being taken care of so their cat will be taken care of as well,” she said. “Other cats are dropped off at more secluded areas so that no one sees the person dumping them.”

There are several reasons why someone might choose to surrender a pet. They might not be able to afford veterinary care or food. Some simply decide they no longer want a pet, while pets can sometimes be a source of friction with a neighbor or loved one.

However, abandonments are occurring more and more, as it can often be difficult to get a pet into a shelter. “Shelters around here are so full that they simply cannot take your pet. rescues are overflowing with calls and messages from people asking us to take their cats,” Allie said.

The good news for Oslo and Dorian is that they have slowly begun to come out of their shells since escaping their predicament. In a video posted to TikTok under the handle @keepingupwiththecolonies, Allie shared their story. “Once inside they acclimated very well, using the litter box right away. playing with toys and climbing on the cat tree,” Allie said. “They were nervous but friendly.

Allie did spot some “signs of neglect” in both cats. Oslo had a cracked tooth and issues with his coat. Tellingly, both cats were quickly identified as “intact males” prompting Allie to suggest they may have been dumped due to the costs any owner would face in trying to get them fixed.

The plan now is to nurse both cats back to full health and then put them up for adoption, with one very strict rule. “They will only be adopted out together,” Allie said. “They have been through a traumatic event so we feel it’s best to keep them together. Their adopter will have to fill out our application and go through our vetting process and maybe even a potential house visit before they can adopt them.”