Cats are usually perceived as autonomous creatures capable of subsisting on their own. They make low-maintenance pets because they typically spend a lot of time wandering outside and only enter the house to be fed and groomed. However, some cat breeds require frequent grooming due to their fur, and disregarding this might have disastrous effects.

Due to her owner’s inability to properly groom her, Hidey the cat was neglected for years. The poor thing was in such bad form that when the rescuer first noticed the terrified Hidey, they assumed it was a cat curled up behind a blanket. He made an analogy between it and a scene from the science fiction film Alien. Unaware that there was another animal in the home, the man had gone to check on the welfare of the cat belonging to an old relative. The mysterious animal that was hidden in the same house, however, eluded him.

In Paul Russell’s words to PEOPLE, “It darted out from under a bed.” “At first I thought it was a cat wrapped in a blanket. It was hidden in a corner when I went into the dark old cellar the next day. Then I said, “My god, this is a cat!”

After learning about Hidey, a 14-year-old neglected cat who was given the nickname due to her propensity to hide, a pet-loving couple from Churchill, Pennsylvania, decided to adopt both animals. After setting up an appointment, the professionals at the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Centre de-matted the matted fur that had grown on Hidey’s body over a period of several years.

The Russells, the cat’s new owners, who gave it a name, assert that the cat’s previous owner has Alzheimer’s disease and is no longer aware of her surroundings. They also believe that the cat’s inability to properly groom herself as a result of her weight contributed to the mats. Since she was saved, Hidey has become a symbol of the need of monitoring the wellbeing of elderly people and their pets.

“The companionship of a pet can bring many positive benefits to the elderly, but owning a pet is a big responsibility,” says Dan Rossi, CEO of the Animal Rescue League Shelter. “Please help them to make sure that there is a support system in place if the mental faculties start to deteriorate if a family member, friend, or neighbour has a pet.”

When they discovered that Hidey’s owner had been transferred to a nursing home due to Alzheimer’s, the finders of Hidey got in touch with the Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Centre in Pittsburgh for assistance. The dreadlocks on the poor cat, which may have grown to a length of 6 to 8 inches, were said to have grown as a result of the animal being abandoned for up to two years.

Dr Yaelen Levitzki, a veterinarian who aided in the treatment to liberate Hidey from her matted fur and captured it in a video posted on Facebook, said that she had never seen such substantial matting in a cat. Her fur had started to resemble dreadlocks.

To make sure Hidey was comfortable throughout the procedure, a tranquillizer was given to the cat.

She had severe matting, which had gone untreated for years, according to the shelter. Our medical staff exclaimed, “This cat is feeling so much better now,” after removing the numerous pounds of knotted fur from her body.

Once he was relieved of that duty, the cat was rehomed by a member of his owner’s family.