Found a Cat

#Overview

Around 5:10 PM, just as the community center was quieting down and I was wrapping up my daily tasks like summarizing welfare call logs, a petitioner rushed in frantically. She said someone had abandoned a kitten in the Sumin Oul Park right next door, and she was looking for a box so it wouldn't freeze to death.

Animal rescue isn't part of my job, but I couldn't ignore a crying kitten, so I grabbed a box and followed her out.

#First Impression

It was a gray kitten, barely the size of my palm. It was surrounded by several children who looked about six or seven years old and seemed quite annoyed. The temperature was around 1–2°C, a very harsh environment for a kitten.

When it comes to taking responsibility for another life, I generally try to avoid emotional or impulsive decisions based on momentary pity. For this reason, I've had a lot of internal conflict even about getting a pet like a dog. My feeling of guilt toward the animal has always outweighed my own happiness.

However, since my military service discharge is coming up soon, I thought I could provide plenty of care until I return to school. More importantly, it felt more irresponsible to turn away on such a cold day, so I decided to adopt the kitten on the spot.

#Status Check

I brought it to the Sumin-dong Saemaeul Library to check its condition and offered water and wet food, but it refused.

An administrative officer who raises cats estimated it to be 2–3 months old. She noticed its right eye, gait, and breathing seemed abnormal and recommended visiting a vet.

Since I usually commute by bus, I had neither a carrier nor a car, so I planned to take a taxi. But thankfully, a welfare officer recommended a good animal hospital and gave us a ride.

The checkup showed no major issues like fractures, and its appetite was good, so we decided to monitor it for a week before visiting again.

The vet estimated it to be 2–3 months old and noted that it seemed used to human hands.

I also received some nutritional food, and the director didn't charge for the consultation, saying I was doing a good deed.

A huge thank you once again to the director of MS Animal Hospital in Yeonsan-dong.

I will definitely visit later for vaccinations and neutering.

Update (Jan 15, 2026): Yeoul is doing well, but whenever I try to put him in the carrier, he cries so pitifully that I haven't been able to take him to the vet yet. I'll definitely go once he gets a bit more used to it.

Update (Mar 6, 2026): Yeoul crossed the rainbow bridge due to HCM.

#Conclusion

I have a family member to take responsibility for.

So cute.

---