With winter here, temperatures drop and the days get shorter. Unless you are indoors, the windchill, snow, and everything else that comes with the cold weather can mean total torture for many animals. Leaving a cat outside on purpose or by mistake can be life-threatening. In the city of Zlatoust, Russia, winters can be harsh, with biting winds and the average temperature hitting as low as -31 Fahrenheit. It is said that a cat has nine lives. If that is true, this little kitty was on the brink of losing one of them. Still, winter is also a magical time of year and miracles can and do happen.The feline fell asleep only to wake up with its paws stuck to the ground, surrounded by six centimetres of hard compacted snow.
The cat’s face and whiskers were covered in ice. Its paws and lower body were frozen to the ground. The temperature being as rough as it is, it was a miracle the cat had managed to survive until then. With time running out and the feline’s body weakening, the Baranovs jumped into action.
The sub-zero temperatures affect animals exposed to the elements.
The animal, thought to be a Norwegian Forest cat, did not seem to protest the couple’s attempts of freeing it with water. After numerous attempts and using seven buckets of hot water, Sergey and Yelena finally succeeded in thawing the ice around the paws. Still, the feline’s paws were too cold to move.
Sergey told The Siberian Times, the cat was immediately taken to a veterinarian where it was given an anti-inflammatory shot to enable it to move around once again.
The cuddly feline is now enjoying the love and warmth of a home.
