Mary and Jack, from Milan, were visiting Pellaro in Calabria in August 2024 when they spotted the frail cat in the street.
She was emaciated, infested with parasites and suffering from a severe eye infection.
Determined to help
Despite having no experience of owning a cat, they could not walk away. With help from a local rescuer, Daniela, who runs Sanctuary Il Gatto Nero ODV, they arranged emergency veterinary treatment. The cat, later named Molly, was stabilised, but the couple then faced the challenge of getting her back to Milan.
Airline restrictions meant they could not take her on their flight, but another rescuer offered to accompany Molly on a 10-hour train journey north.
Loving new home
Molly soon settled into her new home with Mary and Jack, where she now enjoys roaming the flat, cuddling on the sofa and playfully teasing her dachshund “brother.”
A TikTok post charting her dramatic recovery has gone viral, attracting thousands of views and comments praising the couple’s compassion. Today, Molly is healthy, happy, and unrecognisable from the frightened stray she once was.
