Ugly's photo
If you have trouble reading the text from the image, here is the text:
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.
The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. His tail has long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch.
Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped/type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. ´That’s one UGLY cat!!´
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.
Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned on the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbor’s huskies. They did not respond kindly and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly´s sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought.
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.
Comments and faves
kittylover35 (48 months ago | reply)
awww poor thign!!! i cried and i saw the story a while from somewhere else i have very strong feeling and views of people who leave their cats kittens esp. and pet to fend for oneself and i do not understand people who take a pic of a cat that is in need of love and vet help to show maybe thier pain whatever...ugly the kitty that lived in your apt complex...no one thought to take it in and get it vetted? i just do not understand people and i think those people that do this should get the same and even harsher treatment the cat or kittens got! that poor kitty at least ugly the cat is not in pain anymore and knows at least someone cared enough about him to take him in for help....it is soo sad :o( cats are people too they have feelings too and people show treat them more respect and dignity! i have read the story and it breaks my heart and it made me cry lol but at least you tried to help him or her and ugly thanked you for that...thank you for posting it! i will get off the soapbox now...lol have a good day :o)
kittylover35, Ravenelle, and politbike added this photo to their favorites.
politbike (46 months ago | reply)
That was beautiful! How many times do we regret missing an opportunity to show love, only when it is too late? How often do we fail to learn from the experience and repeat the mistake?
"Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But, if you stop and turn your attention to other things, it comes and quietly sits on your shoulder"...
AmandaMarie Adams added this photo to her favorites. (46 months ago)
AmandaMarie Adams (46 months ago | reply)
So sad and so touching, the poor thing. I'm happy that you were able to make him happy in the last moments of his life though. Do you have another picture of him without text over his face?
Vermin Love (44 months ago | reply)
This.
This actually made me cry.
So beautifully moving. Thanks for sharing. Reminds me of a cat that my mum's friend used to own. She was found as a young stray. She had cat AIDs and breathing problems, and needed to be kept snuggled up to the fireplace. She was tiny because she could barely eat, dirty because she couldn't wash herself and made awful rasping noises when she breathed. And as disgusting as she was, you couldn't help but love her. No matter how many times you pushed her away, she'd want to curl up on your lap and share warmth. She didn't live very long, but she was deeply loved.
I'll try and strive to be Ugly. (':
MilkHermit added this photo to her favorites. (44 months ago)
~Ms.Freakin'.Nimare ♥ [Bye*:] [deleted] (41 months ago | reply)
goshh!!
This is sooo Unfair we are the one who gots the thinkin en feelin More than other creatures and we dont use them when others need it ...sooo Selfish and Rude !! Arghhh ..SO SO NOT RIGHT !!
D':
kisluvkis (40 months ago | reply)
This made me cry for so many reasons.
It kills me that this cat hung around, got hosed down, had rocks thrown at him, abused. What kind of awful people would do that to a living creature!? A creature clearly hurt and abandoned! I just weep knowing all he wanted was love and he got ROCKS Thrown at him!!??! I want to come to your neighborhood and shake these people!!!
2ndly, I'm just shocked that no one, no one in his life saw him and thought to bring him to a vet and have his wounds tended or eye sewn shut. Fixed up. He could have had such a better life if just someone had cared enough to help him and relieve his pain.
Instead they threw rocks at him. There's a special place in hell.
Thank you for rushing to his aide, and most of all, for in his final moments, giving him the one thing he begged for all his life, affection. He left this world in the midst of a moment of affection and I thank you for that.
THank you for posting this. My eyes are filled with tears.
kisluvkis (40 months ago | reply)
I just went and sobbed on my couch for Ugly and for all the cruelty in the world. I'm happy Ugly is now out of that misery. Sweet kitty, a lesson to us all, thank you for posting.
brambleshark (37 months ago | reply)
Thanx so much for posting this story. Even though it made me cry, it opened up my eyes to how humans are so dumb and cruel. Thanx again. :0
spiralsofwhite added this photo to her favorites. (35 months ago)
ensignaurora (35 months ago | reply)
Rescuing kittens is tough. I've had three that have somewhat come to my door. One that looked like it needed an amputation but disappeared as I was calling around to find out where, how much. One that I lured into a pet taxi but when I closed the door was scared out of its mind and I let it go (I was soft hearted at that moment to its fear)........and one that I was able to bring inside, feed and water, and find it a good home. They aren't flocking to my door but I hope the word is out. These rescues don't count the lb kittens that have adopted me, the donations, or the food deliveries to the animal shelter....or the rushing to rescue if I think one might be mistreated or educating people on wildlife misuse, such as causing puffer fish to blow up for their fun.
Ugly is a reminder, to take care of, to not take advantage of. In this case, the story got to me when my emotions were already "locked out"; I checked on a kitten yesterday, noted a squirrel with its head trapped in a yogurt container presented as humor (I think, it was on Levantate & I don't know Spanish) was really plastics pollution, and been correcting others about the errors of a "joke".
Good for you that you befriended him in his last moments. We need more people like you.
ahmed samie added this photo to his favorites. (34 months ago)
The_Savant_Nerd (34 months ago | reply)
What a beautiful story! I cried so hard. I wish people treated stray animals like homeless children.
bel_bel3788 (31 months ago | reply)
This made me cry. :(
Thank you for this beautiful story.
Janna Dobson, lydia rose., and lollipop1218 added this photo to their favorites.