A young cat was given a new chance at life after Caltrans maintenance crews rescued the injured animal found curled up along the 5 Freeway in Mission Viejo on Friday, Dec. 22.
Just before noon, Caltrans employees Jaime Montes and Abraham Castillo were driving along the freeway cleaning debris off the side of the road when they saw what appeared to be cardboard scraps along the center divider.
The cat, named Callie in honor of her rescuers, will be up for adoption after completely healed and spayed. ❤️🐈
2/2 pic.twitter.com/knhkOYooHt— Caltrans HQ (@CaltransHQ) December 26, 2023
An eagle-eyed Montes spotted a tiny, orange face amongst the debris and knew a creature was in need, his partner Castillo said on Wednesday.
“We though the cat was deceased at first,” Castillo said. “We get a lot of deceased animals on the highway, but as my partner approached, the cat flinched and we startled it.”
It took a bit for the two to get close to the cat, but eventually Montes was able to get her wrapped up in a spare shirt and to get her some water.
The cat was in pain, with her paws badly burned.
“We knew we had to get this cat off the highway and that it needed medical attention,” he said. “But she was purring so I think she knew she was safe.”
The men drove around Mission Viejo looking for a no-kill shelter, and were able to find help at the Mission Viejo Animal Center.
“We found a few shelters that had a 10 to 30 day policy for adoption before it would be put down but we couldn’t do that,” Castillo said. “It deserved a second chance for what it went through.”
There was no microchip on the cat, but Castillo said the cat was so well-behaved that he assumed it was a pet that had gotten loose.
The pair initially wanted to name the cat Garfield because of its orange coat, but employees at the animal center appropriately named her Callie after her rescuers.
Callie has since spent the last few days in and out of the veterinary hospital to get her paws treated, according to Animal Care Supervisor Brynn Lavison.
“She had severe burns on her paw pads, so she is being treated like a burn victim,” Lavison said. “But she’s getting better and better.”
The cat may have been burned while walking or running on a hot road, Lavison said, adding another possible cause is that it could have come into contact with a hot vehicle engine.
Callie is expected to fully recover soon and the animal center is seeking a foster family to look after her until she finds a new home, Lavison said. She is around 8 months to a year old and will be spayed once she is back to full health.
“A lot of the guys at our station are animal lovers and we wanted to make her a yard cat,” Castillo said. “But it can be a bit dangerous there so I hope she can find the family she deserves.”
For those interested in fostering Callie or another animal at the Mission Viejo Animal Center, a foster form can be submitted at cityofmissionviejo.org. Donations can also be made to Dedicated Animal Welfare Group, a non-profit that supports the Mission Viejo Animal Center in finding homes for abandoned animals by visiting dawg.org
