Churchill, Pennsylvania — What Paul Russell first mistook for a cat draped in a blanket turned out to be an animal so severely matted, he could barely recognize it.
The shocking discovery came when Russell, an animal lover from Churchill, Pennsylvania, checked on the pets of an 82-year-old distant relative who had recently moved into a nursing home. While he knew about one elderly cat, Siam, he was stunned when a second creature darted from under a bed.
“At first, I thought it was a cat with something covering it,” Russell told PEOPLE. “The next day, I found it hunched in the corner of the cellar. I thought, ‘My God, this is a cat.’”
The animal—later named Hidey for her reclusive nature—was a 14-year-old feline suffering from years of neglect. Her fur was so densely matted that rescuers at the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center needed extensive grooming to remove the tangled mass. Veterinarians believe the mats formed partly because Hidey, morbidly obese and unable to groom herself, had been overlooked as her owner’s Alzheimer’s progressed.
A Call to Check on Elderly Pet Owners
Hidey’s case highlights the importance of supporting elderly pet owners, says Dan Rossi, CEO of the Animal Rescue League and the Western PA Humane Society.
“Pets bring immense joy and companionship to seniors, but caring for them becomes difficult as mental or physical health declines,” Rossi said. “If you know an older pet owner, ensure they have a support system. And if no other options exist, open-door shelters like ours will always take animals in need.”
A New Beginning
Now in the care of Russell and his wife, Jill, Hidey joins their three other cats and two dogs. Though still nervous—shivering when held and hiding under beds—she’s slowly adapting.
“She’s just starting to venture out on her own,” Russell said. “When you hold her, she purrs. She’s clearly grateful.”
After receiving vaccinations, Hidey will be introduced to her new feline siblings. Jill predicts a bright future: “In six months, she’ll be running the house—and hopefully a little trimmer.”
For now, Hidey’s transformation serves as a poignant reminder: behind every neglected pet, there may be an owner who once loved them but can no longer care for them.
Related topics:
