A scarred face, a bent ear, scruffy fur - and a huge heart. That's Hitchhiker. He's also a cat with FIV*, which means a compromised immune system, so he needs help to get back to full health and find his forever home.

Hitchhiker the cat. Donate to 9 Lives Rescue! "He's a hitchhiker - just passing through," or so the farmer thought when the cat showed up at her farm. He seemed very rough, maybe feral. He didn't meow for food - he roared. So Cathy fed him, and within days - in spite of his intimidating roar - he had won her heart. She offered him a place on her farm, and had him neutered - but her resident cats vetoed that plan.

That's when Cathy called 9 Lives Rescue.

Now in a 9 Lives foster home, Hitchhiker has started to reveal his true colors. He was outgoing from the first. Even in a new place, in pain, worried about what these new humans might do to him - he still turned to them for help. Within hours Hitch was asking for head rubs. Coming from a hard life in survival mode, he turned out to be incredibly forgiving, with lots of love in his heart.

Hitch went back to the vet for his bad teeth and other issues - and that's when the bills began to build up. He needed several teeth extracted, treatments for his infected ears, and the rough skin issue turned out to be ringworm, a fungal infection. The good news? Hitch is one tough guy! His foster is administering meds and he has already started to improve.

Please give, to help Hitchhiker heal! He's a softie who aches for people to call his own. His heart is so big, and he dreams of a loving person to rub his head and bask in his purrs. We know there's someone out there for him - but first he has to heal.

Donate now to help us make Hitch's dream come true!

Help this cat from 9 Lives Rescue: Hitchhiker * FIV is kind of like human HIV - it doesn't "do" anything to you itself, but it weakens your immune system so you're more susceptible to other attacks on your health. Your body is less able to fight off tooth decay, for example, or ear infections. There's no cure, but cats with FIV live a normal lifespan. With care, he will be somebody's loving boy for years to come.

Our rescue was founded in 2016, and we are a 501(c)3 non-profit. Since our founding, 9 Lives Rescue has facilitated the adoptions of hundreds of cats and kittens into loving homes each year in South Central Wisconsin. In 2022, we found homes for over 600 cats. Thank you to the donors, foster homes, and volunteers who continue to make this work possible.

Hitchhiker Needs a Lift!

By 9 Lives Rescue Inc

Hitchhiker Needs a Lift!

This Big-Hearted Cat Needs Your Help to Heal!