What began as simply another day at work for this bearded man called Jordan ended with the rescue of a little kitten from a distant piece of woodland.
In some ways, Jordan’s facial hair may have helped in the formation of their new friendship.
Jordan works for a gas pipeline in Pennsylvania as a heavy machinery operator. He and his coworkers were shocked to see a little figure emerging from the woods alone while conducting maintenance along a remote section of line. It was a small orange kitten approaching them enthusiastically in need of assistance.
“I just kind of froze and melted all at once. He seemed sad. He was drenched in sap and just… not nice “Jordan said. “I looked around and didn’t see any other cats around. We were working in the middle of nowhere, basically.”
The kitten showed no hesitation as Jordan scooped him up and placed him in the cab of his machine.
The cat, considered to be just a few weeks old, was fortunate to be discovered at all. It’s unclear where he came from or where his mother could be, but given the kitten’s poor health and untreated eye disease, he probably wouldn’t have survived much longer on his own.
Jordan, thankfully, was on hand to assist.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It doesn’t fly with me to see a cat like that. Something arranged for me to be there at the proper time “He stated. “He spent the remainder of the day in my cab with me. I happened to have some tuna fish at work, so I offered it to him.”
The kitty stayed at Jordan’s side for the following few hours as he worked. He made a little bed for him in his hat.
Jordan had planned to take the small kitten to a no-kill shelter at the end of the day, but as the day went on, he became closer to the little cat — and the feeling was definitely reciprocal. Jordan appears to have become the baby’s mother.
“He was looking for a breast in my beard,” Jordan explained. “He crawled up my shoulder, smelled my ear, and before I knew it, he was shoving his head into my beard and rubbing it back and forth.” ‘This poor malnourished kitten,’ I thought as I became verklempt, and ‘There’s no way I can let someone else parent this cat.’ In that little time, we bonded… over my beard. ‘This guy’s coming home with me,’ I thought. There’s no way I’m dropping him off [at a shelter].’”
Jordan brought the cat to the veterinarian, who diagnosed him with a lung ailment as well as an eye condition. He’s only been on medicine for a few days, but he’s already perking up and fitting in with Jordan and his wife, as well as their other rescue pets, at home.
“He’s doing really well right now,” Jordan remarked. “He’s bouncing around, playing, and chewing on his fingers.” He’s behaving more like a kitten should – sort of wild.”
Odin is the kitten’s new name.
Odin isn’t the only cat Jordan has rescued while on the job. He found another poor cat at a different job site a few years ago and took her home as well. They’ve been together since then.
“I’m doing it again.” I keep finding cats that need help,” he said. “I don’t know why it keeps happening, but I won’t turn them down.”
