The Reason This Homeless Cat Would Only Take Food In Bags Will Bring You To Tears

Scott CrokerTrending12 Nov 2024

Living on the streets as a homeless cat isn't easy. Every meal is victory and every day staying alive is a blessing. For one cat in Korea, the struggle was even harder. When volunteers offered her free meals daily, she rejected them, leaving everyone baffled. Why would this cat refuse a free meal? Then, when they figured out this feral feline would only take food wrapped in bags, an even greater mystery unraveled. The discovery behind this kitten's odd behavior turned into a heartwarming tale of survival that not even Hollywood could dream up.

Do you have your tissues ready?

One Cat Separated From The Pack

SBS TV/YouTube

Making a difference in the lives of animals can be a heartbreaking chore. That was true for one unnamed Korean woman who made it her job to feed all the feral cats in her neighborhood. As a volunteer at a local shelter, she had access to food, and she decided to put it to great use.

For five years this volunteer would hand out food in bowls to every homeless cat who would accept her offer. For the most part, all of the cats happily took the free meal. One cat, however, stood out from the rest for one crazy reason.

Dongsuk Refused To Eat

SBS TV/YouTube

The cat, which was named Dongsuk, would show up every day for food with the rest of the cats, but would never take any. Instead, the furry feline would turn away, choosing to find a way to survive by other means.

Still, Dongsuk showed up every day, proving she wasn't averse to getting a free meal. She just didn't like the food she was being given. Or, as the volunteer began to think, maybe it was about the way the food was being presented in the first place. Was there a reason Dongsuk refused to eat from bowls?

Find out, next!

First The Volunteer Changed Her Menu

SBS TV/YouTube

The Vounteer's first instinct when she discovered Dongsuk refused to eat was to switch the kind of food she was giving the cat. Cats tend to be very picky about their diets, even refusing good food when it's not the type they prefer.

To test if Dongsuk was this kind of cat, the volunteer tried several types of dry food. Dongsuk refused every brand and every variety. Then she tried wet food in a can. Dongsuk remained stubborn, forcing the volunteer to go back to the drawing board.

Maybe Food In Bags Will Do?

SBS TV/YouTube

Desperate to solve the mystery of why Dongsuk wouldn't eat, the volunteer began to think out of the box. Like we said, if Dongsuk didn't want the food, she wouldn't show up to feeding time everyday. It was up to her new friend to learn how to feed Dongsuk so she wouldn't starve.

One day, the volunteer wrapped Dongsuk's food in a bag, thinking that the cat might just be a shy eater. The trick worked! Dongsuk grabbed the bag of food and ran off somewhere unseen.

With so many questions, where would the volunteer find the answers?

Curiosity Created A New Mystery About Dongsuk

SBS TV/YouTube

The volunteer was ecstatic that Dongsuk was finally taking the food. Every day she would make sure there was a special bag of cat food ready for the felines. And every day, Dongsuk would come to visit, take the bag of food, and run off.

This odd behavior, however, only made the volunteer more curious about where Dongsuk was going with her bag of food. She already thought it was odd the cat would only accept food in a bag, and now she needed to know why.

Why Would Dongsuk Only Eat Food From A Bag?

dongsuk is going somewhere with her food

SBS TV/YouTube

First of all, the volunteer didn't understand why Dongsuk wanted to eat her food from a bag. Wouldn't a bowl be easier? Did Dongsuk really prefer living her life the hard way? If so, then why? There were so many questions the volunteer needed to be answered!

She also knew there had to be an answer. Taking advice from her friends, the volunteer gave into her curiosity and began to come up with a plan to unravel this new mystery. She never expected to the truth to be so heartwarming.

Where Did Dongsuk Take Her Food?

SBS TV/YouTube

Cats have some strange behaviors, but the way Dongsuk acted worried her volunteer. One of the biggest questions she needed answered was this; where was Dongsuk taking the bag of food? Originally, she assumed Dongsuk preferred to eat in private. But why? Most of the cats ate in front of her without hesitation.

Perhaps Dongsuk didn't trust humans and found just enough courage to show up every day for food and scurry off. Perhaps there was another, more important reason.

Up next, the volunteer makes a plan to learn the truth!

Time To Play Detective

dongsuk-in-the-wild-with-her-food-789789

One day, to solve the mystery that Dongsuk had created, the volunteer banded together with a few of her friends to follow the cat. The mission wouldn't be easy. They would have to keep their distance to keep the skittish kitty from running.

If they were caught, it could be disastrous. It took so long to earn Dongsuk's trust in the first place, what would happen if they broke it? How would they know if Dongsuk was still eating and alive? The food they provided was Dongsuk's main source of food, and they were determined to keep it that way.

Dongsuk Took The Team On An Adventure

SBS TV/YouTube

Keeping their distance, the team followed Dongsuk on her journey with her bag of food. The further away from the neighborhood Dongsuk took them, the more baffled they became. Something was urging Dongsuk to make this incredible journey everyday, and they were close to finding out why.

Finally, Dongsuk arrived, with the team in tow, at the entryway of an abandoned building. The scene couldn't have felt more like the start of a scary movie. Luckily, there were no horrors found inside the building!

Dongsuk Still Wouldn't Eat

SBS TV/YouTube

Dongsuk took the team inside the building, where she put the bag of food down and began to pace. Don't worry, the cat wasn't summoning anything scary. In fact, she seemed scared herself. The way she was walking back and forth nervously, the team knew she wasn't comfortable.

It's possible Dongsuk didn't want to eat in front of the team. At this point, the cat had to know that the group of people were following her. They believed she might have been showing that she was ready for them to leave.

Or was there another reason?

A New Twist

SBS TV/YouTube

Still waiting, Dongsuk began meowing. At this point the team realized she was waiting for something. In a few seconds they found out a what. Out of nowhere a little ginger kitten appeared and ran right up to Dongsuk, who put down the bag of food.

Dongsuk was a mom! Every day she made sure not only to provide for herself but for her young kitten as well. This is why she would only take food wrapped in a bag. It was the only way she could ensure her baby would be fed.

Dongsuk Finally Ate Something!

SBS TV/YouTube

The volunteer and her friends continued to watch the selfless acts of this feline mother unfold. After Dongsuk put the bag of food down, she stepped away, letting her daughter eat first. The kitten ripped into the bag and fed til it was full.

Finally, after her daughter was happy, Dongsuk enjoyed her meal. The team was brought to tears as they watched this real life story of heroism and survival unfold right before their eyes. Of course, the story didn't end there.

Keep reading to find out what amazing thing happened next!

The Journey To Rescue Began

SBS TV/YouTube

Having witnessed everything Dongsuk was willing to go through to make sure her daughter was fed, the volunteer and her team knew they needed to do something as well. First, they checked the neighborhood to see if anyone knew Dongsuk, and had been looking for their lost cat.

No one claimed ownership of the feral cat, confirming she was on her own and had been on her own for a long time. Sadly, there were some people in the neighborhood who were familiar with Dongsuk, and they had a heartbreaking story to share.

Dongsuk's Suffered A Tragedy

SBS TV/YouTube

As the team went around the neighborhood and interviewed people, they learned that Dongsuk had suffered a major tragedy in her past. According to someone they spoke with, the mother cat had originally given birth to five healthy kittens.

Life hadn't been fair to Dongsuk, and as she fought to keep her litter alive, she lost four of them. Now her daughter was her entire world. She had one baby left and was determined, no matter what, to keep her alive and watch her grow up into an adult cat. Now she just needed a happy ending.

Still ahead, learn all about the team harrowing rescue mission!

Dongsuk Got Her First Blanket

SBS TV/YouTube

The team knew they wanted to find a way to rescue Dongsuk and her kitten, but they also knew they needed to form a stronger bond of trust. To do this, they returned to the location Dongsuk led them to and gave her a blanket.

The blanket was the first step in building a trusting relationship between cat and human. It was used to show that these people weren't the enemy. Still, Dongsuk and her daughter weren't going to give away their trust in a day.

Everyday Made A Difference

SBS TV/YouTube

After giving Donhsuk and her daughter the gift of warmth, the team of volunteers returned to the building every day to allow the cats to feel normal around humans. According to one of them, Dongsuk came on board pretty quickly.

Dongsuk's daughter was less willing to make friends with her human saviors. Remember, she was not able to build a previous relationship with them. Dongsuk had used them as a trusted food source, but her daughter had no idea. She just ate the food after it was brought to her.

Trust Comes To Those Who Wait

SBS TV/YouTube

The team was used to needing patience, and knew that with the cats fed everyday they could be patient waiting for Dongsuk's daughter to warm up to them. They knew the cats were fed, they just wanted to make sure were safe.

Eventually, the tiny kitten became comfortable with the humans. Even if she didn't like them very much, she seemed to understand that they were there to help and not hurt her. With the trust of both cats, the volunteers knew that the next step was going to be moving them to a new home.

The Real Rescue Mission Began

SBS TV/YouTube

One of the big reasons the team was willing to take so long to earn the trust of Dongsuk and her daughter was the rescue mission. In order to move these cats to a new home, they needed to use scary tools and nets.

The cats were still feral, so it wouldn't have been safe to pick them up and move them. As much as the volunteers may have wanted too, they still needed to be safe. Looking at the net above, you can imagine what would have happened hadn't they built trust with the animals first.

Dongsuk And Her First House

SBS TV/YouTube

Before Dongsuk and her daughter were adopted, they were taken to a shelter where they were given their own mini house. As you can see, it was way more luxurious than their last home. They even began eating their food and drinking their water out of bowls!

Life was looking up for the cats from the streets. Now she just needed to find a forever home. It was also clear that it was important to keep the two felines together.

The Moral Of The Story

SBS TV/YouTube

The story of Dongsuk and her daughter is one of the most inspirational rescue stories we've heard. The resilience it took for this cat to put her kitten's welfare ahead of her own is incredibly touching. Especially after having gone through the tragedy the poor thing went through with four other kittens.

This is a story of motherly love and the power of doing good. The volunteer and her team went above and beyond their duties to save the day as well. They set out to feed the cats and ended up giving two cats in need new leases on life.

Time and again it's been proven that abandoned animals have a bond that's stronger than most. They never give up on each other and won't leave each other behind. Two volunteers were able to save the lives of two abandoned dogs who stuck together for months. Learn their story next.

These Best Friends Refused To Be Rescued Without Each Other

These poor dogs were found sticking together after they were abandoned. For months, the strays had been living in a truck yard after being left to wander the streets outside of Los Angeles.

The pup pair stayed together and set up a home for themselves in a truck yard in Los Angeles. They were fed for months by a kind woman who worked near the truck yard but did not seem to trust anyone but each other, even the team who was organized to rescue them once they were discovered.

Best Friends

These two dogs were totally inseparable. Each of them had been wandering the streets for weeks, picking up scraps of food wherever they could find them. Fortunately, the two crafty dogs found each other and teamed up together, forming a two-dog pack.

Not only did this help them increase their chances of survival on the streets, but it also made the two best friends. They were teamed up against the world looking for a way to survive. As domestic dogs without a home, these poor animals could have easily ended up starving to death.

Survival Instincts

While you might think that dogs are totally self-reliant and can take care of themselves if they had to, that is not always the case. Dogs who have been bred to be house pets and who have grown up in a family with caretakers do not have the same survival instincts that dogs in the wild have.

Many of the instincts have been suppressed by centuries of breeding, while others become rusty from living in domesticity. This is why homeless dogs are such a problem; many of them end up starving to death or injured because they simply do not know how to take care of themselves out in the wild.

A Temporary Home

These two dogs had been wandering the streets for weeks before they found their temporary home. The began camping out in a Los Angeles truck yard, next door to a factory. One day, one of the women working there spotted the two strays and decided to help them.

While she was unable to adopt them herself, she made sure that the two dogs were fed. For more than six months, the factory worker brought the dogs food making sure that the pair had enough to eat. For months, she was their angel.

Life-Changing News

After six months, however, the woman received some news that would change her situation and might mean that the dogs no longer had reliable access to food. The factory worker had to move soon, far enough away that she would no longer be able to feed the dogs she had grown to care for.

She worried about what might happen to them. Would someone else take over feeding them? Would they starve? Would the lack of food mean that they went back to roaming the streets looking for scraps of food in the garbage? She decided something had to be done.

Searching For Help

Worried about the dogs' chances of survival without the regular food that was keeping them going, the woman looked for a place that might be able to help the pair. She did some research before finding a local animal rescue group called Hope for Paws, asking if there was anything the organization might be able to do to help the strays.

Hope for Paws works to help animals in need, making sure that they receive medical attention if necessary. They also help to find these animals happy and safe homes. But would they be able to help these two homeless dogs?

Hope For Paws

One of the founding members of Hope for Paws, Eldad Hagar, said that he would be happy to do what he could to help this dog duo. Hagar went out to the yard where the dogs had been taking shelter to see what course of action would best suit the animals.

Seeing the conditions in which the dogs were living, he knew that there was no way they could continue living on the street. He knew that the best way to help the dogs would be to rescue the animals and help to place them in permanent homes with loving families.

An International Team

Eldad Hagar's team consisted of volunteers from all over the world who were working with Hope for Paws aiming to make the world a better place for animals. The volunteers came from places as far away as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Costa Rica! The group of volunteers strategized to figure out how to best rescue animals in need.

Many animals who live on the streets become mistrustful of humans, as they’ve been abused or neglected. Having rescued many dogs before, the Hope for Paws team knew that the rescue would not be easy.

Running And Hiding

When the Hope for Paws team went to the truck yard, their suspicions were confirmed. The two dogs had been without human companionship (aside from the woman who had been leaving food out for them) that they were wary of strangers.

It would have been easy if the team could just lure the dogs in with some food, but as soon as the rescuers approached the animals they ran away and hid. Hagar and his team knew that they would have to get crafty to get these dogs away from the truck yard. Together, the team hatched a plan.

An Ingenious Plan

The owner of the truck yard was happy to help the team rescue the dogs, and he became a critical part of the plan because the team had to resort to some pretty complicated tricks to get the dogs out of the yard.

First, the team took a plastic barrier and put it in place in the front of the yard so that if the dogs tried to run and hide again, they would be confined to the yard and unable to escape. The owner of the truck yard took the team into the enclosure. The team's plan was to surround the dogs, gradually winning over their trust.

A Challenge

Eldad Hagar explained the plan to news outlets after the rescue, telling the media about the unique challenges the team faced due to the particular obstacles that the truck yard presented. As the truck yard was rather large and crowded, it was difficult for the team to navigate the area where the dogs had been living.

"Once we secured the area, [we needed] to try and corner the dogs," said Hagar. “The rescue was quite challenging because we always had to watch for our heads as we were under the trucks most of the time.”

The First Dog Is Caught

Hagar and the team decided to concentrate their efforts on rescuing the male dog first. While the poor animal was terrified by the presence of humans in the truck yard, he showed no signs of aggression. While many animals in that situation may decide to attack their would-be rescuers, the male dog appeared to be docile.

Instead of attacking, he simply evaded the Hope for Paws team. He led them on quite the chase before he was eventually cornered and had a leash placed around his neck by his captors. The dog was still scared, but he allowed the team to approach him.

One Down, One To Go

The poor dog was still scared but began to calm down once he was aware that the Hope for Paws team was not planning on harming him in any way. His captors slowly gained his trust, and after a while he allowed one of the members of the team to pet him!

As he began to settle down and make peace with the situation, the team gradually shifted their attention to the female dog who was still hiding in the truck yard. The female dog was a lot less cooperative than the male dog, especially after she saw that her friend was captured.

The Chase

Leaving the male dog's leash clipped to the fence of the truck yard, the Hope for Paws team began their rescue of the female dog. She refused to come out despite the team trying to show that they were not threatening her. She scrambled over boxes and hid underneath trucks, determine to evade the team trying to catch her.

But there was one thing that the female dog risked capture for: her best friend. After she saw him tied to the fence, the female dog ran over to him, trying to make sure that he was okay. The team saw their opportunity and moved in to capture her.

A Smooth Escape

Despite being surrounded, the female dog managed to evade her would-be captors yet again! The pursuit continued for another ten minutes or so, all while the male dog was still chained to the fence. Eventually, the female dog realized that there was no way of escaping.

Growing tired, she finally gave up and let the Hope for Paws team capture her. Just like her best friend, she was terrified at first, but began to calm down after a leash was put on her. After the female dog was leashed, the two best friends were then reunited with each other.

A Scared Pair

Both of the dogs were scared of what was happening, but they were still kind and gentle. While other animals in their situation might have lashed out at their captors, this pair did not want to hurt anybody. They were simply afraid of what would happen to them if they were caught by humans.

Eldad Hagar later said, "Both dogs showed zero signs of aggression. They were just so scared, but also relieved. We brought [them closer to each other] so they [could] have a positive experience with all of us. We just sat there for 30 minutes [and] discussed the names they will be."

New Names

Now that the dogs were finally rescued, the team could focus on helping them feel comfortable in their new lives. One of the first things they did was give them new names. Since the pair consisted of a male dog and a female dog who worked together in the face of obstacles, the Hope for Paws team decided to name their dogs after an iconic superhero partnership: Lois and Clark.

The team sat with Lois and Clark for a while, helping the two animals to calm down and to settle their nerves. After the animals began to adjust to their new situation, Eldad Hagar decided that it was time to transfer them to an animal hospital.

A Scary Ride

For the first time in months, the dogs were separated from each other. The two of them rode to the animal hospital in separate vehicles. While each dog had members of the team along on the ride to help keep them comfortable, they were very anxious and did not know what to expect in these new surroundings.

The pair had not been able to rely on anyone but each other for such a long time that they were confused and did not know how to react to their new situation, but that would soon change.

A Mystery

After bringing the animals to the veterinarian, it was found that both of the dogs are mixed breeds. The vet also revealed that both of the animals were around two years old. Despite living in such harsh conditions, both Lois and Clark seemed to be in relatively decent shape. Clark is a Staffie-pit bull mix, but Lois is a bit of a mystery.

She is guessed to be some sort of border collie and Australian shepherd mix, but no one is sure! It doesn't really matter though because both animals were found to be affectionate and loving after their rescue, in spite of being a bit shy after everything the two had gone through.

The Search For A Home

While the two dogs are now living indoors and are being cared for, they are still searching for a permanent home. Both of them are young and housebroken, and get along with other dogs and with people. These two dogs have had a rough start in life, but are ready to start a new journey together!

Hopefully, there is someone out there who will adopt both Lois and Clark because after everything these dogs have been through they deserve to stay together. Not only is their tale an uplifting one, but it is also inspiring. If these two dogs can remain best friends in the face of such adversity, then anyone can!