My mom's friend mentioned there was a group of feral cats running through her neighborhood and one of the cats had a runt in her litter that she abandoned. The runt was being abused by other cats and even a few cruel neighbors in the neighborhood.

PHOTO: Anonymous

When my mom and her friend found him he was weak, dehydrated, and malnourished. He was covered in fleas and gnat eggs and had an open wound on his neck. Some of the neighbors guessed the gnats had gotten under its skin and there was talk among them trying to figure out a cheap and humane way to kill the kitten.

Some had mentioned putting him in a bucket with a rag soaked in kerosene.

My mother had the good sense to bathe him before any extreme measures were taken and she and her friend discovered the gnats had not gotten under his skin. He was too weak to fight back as they bathed him in the sink and cleaned him off.

My mom knew if they put him back out in the neighborhood he would surely die so that night she brought this poor little creature home to us, handing him straight to my father whom she knew had a weakness for tabby cats.

After some food and love the little kitten grew healthy and strong, gaining the name "Louis" and becoming one of the family.

PHOTO: PEXELS

It was a bit of a struggle introducing a feral kitten to a domestic life, but he is now a wonderful 18 pound kitty who has the biggest personality I've ever seen in a cat. He is also quite the talker which we've found a lot of entertainment in.

He is my best little buddy. I can't imagine our lives without him.

Story submitted by Anonymous, Martinsville, Indiana.

Louis's story was originally shared on theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com. Share your very own rescue story here!