Usually, Eva throws her bags in without a second thought. But that morning, her bags were particularly heavy, so she glanced into the skip to make sure they wouldn't split open. That's when she spotted a fluffy white shape with its head stuck in a tin can. At first, she thought it was an abandoned teddy bear... until the 'teddy bear' started to breathe.
Eva immediately called her daughter, Yasmin. At first, they thought it was a ferret because it was so thin. The two women fetched a ladder. Eva bravely climbed down into the deep skip and gently brought the animal back up, wrapped in a towel.
A tin can death trap
They saw straight away that it was a white kitten, exhausted and on its last legs. "She was listless, calm and still," recalls Yasmin. "It was as if she had given up all hope of survival." Luckily, a small gap between the can and her neck was still allowing her to breathe.
They rushed to the vet, leaving the can on the animal's head to avoid injuring her further. Miraculously, despite the stench and filth, the kitten had no major injuries, no hypothermia, and no broken bones. Although she was microchipped, the little cat wasn't registered to anyone. Two days later, she officially became a member of the Eftekhar family and was named Angel.
From fear to affection
Her first few days at home were marked by trauma. Angel would devour her food as if every meal was her last and refused any human contact, scratching anyone who tried to pet her. She seemed to know nothing of toys or affection.
The turning point came a few weeks later. By letting Angel come to her without forcing it, Yasmin earned her trust. "I think that's when she realised she was safe and no longer had to live in fear."
Today, Angel is a little cat who knows what she wants. She demands kisses, sleeps in Yasmin's bed, and has even learned to play with the family's other cat. The little white teddy bear from the skip has blossomed into a happy kitten who finally knows what it means to be loved.
