{"id":535652,"date":"2026-07-11T02:36:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T02:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/535652\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T02:36:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T02:36:17","slug":"scraggly-cat-walks-into-voting-booth-on-election-day-and-begs-volunteer-for-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/535652\/","title":{"rendered":"Scraggly Cat Walks Into Voting Booth On Election Day And Begs Volunteer For Help"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Paula Cuesta arrived at her local high school at 6:45 a.m. the other day, the hallways were still quiet. It was election day in Colombia, and Cuesta was one of the first volunteers to show up that morning. But as she walked down the empty corridor to her assigned room, she suddenly noticed a small figure staring at her from a distance.<\/p>\n

Cuesta instantly recognized the animal as a tabby cat. But as she got closer, she realized something was very wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed he had a huge wound on the side of his head, behind his ear,\u201d Cuesta told The Dodo. \u201cHe was missing one ear, and one of his eyes was injured, too. It was heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paula Cuesta<\/p>\n

Cuesta couldn\u2019t take her eyes off the cat, who was staring back at her. The cat watched Cuesta intently, but he seemed too afraid to approach her at first. So, she crouched down in an attempt to gain his trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s when he started trusting me,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHe came closer and closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paula Cuesta<\/p>\n

Cuesta hung out with the cat for a while, until she eventually had to return to her classroom to assist voters. But after just a few moments together, it seemed like the cat had already warmed up to Cuesta.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it was time for me to go to my classroom, he started walking in front of me, almost like he didn’t want me to leave,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cSo I said, \u2018Come on, let’s go.\u2019 We walked to the classroom together, and he stayed there with me for quite a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

As more volunteers arrived, Cuesta began asking around about the cat. But no one seemed to recognize him \u2014 and he appeared disinterested in everyone other than Cuesta.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn’t go up to anyone else \u2014 just me,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHe kept rubbing against my legs, asking for affection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paula Cuesta<\/p>\n

The cat stayed by Cuesta\u2019s side until voters began filing in. Spooked by the commotion, the cat bolted and disappeared onto the school grounds. Cuesta tried to follow him, but he was gone before she could catch up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went outside three different times to look for him, but I couldn’t find him anywhere,\u201d Cuesta said.<\/p>\n

Cuesta returned to the room defeatedly. She finished the rest of her volunteer shift and was about to leave for the day when a familiar face suddenly caught her eye. The cat had returned, and she didn\u2019t want to miss the chance to save him this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe moment he saw me, I said, \u2018Hi, my sweet boy! How are you?\u2019\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHe came right over and started rubbing against my legs again. I asked him, \u2018Where have you been?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Paula Cuesta<\/p>\n

An onlooking police officer familiar with the cat was shocked to see him act so warmly toward Cuesta.<\/p>\n

\u201c[He] said, \u2018I can’t believe it. I’ve been trying to catch that cat all day, and he won’t let anyone touch him. But look at him with you,\u2019\u201d Cuesta said.<\/p>\n

Moments later, the high school\u2019s security guard showed up and confirmed Cuesta\u2019s fears: The cat had been surviving on his own for a month or two, and he\u2019d previously refused to let anyone save him. That\u2019s when Cuesta decided she couldn\u2019t go home without him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn’t just leave him there,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHe was still so young, and he’d already been through so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can watch that moment here:<\/p>\n

Cuesta wrapped the cat in her jacket, then headed home with the sweet boy in her arms. Once home, Cuesta placed the cat, whom she named Pocillo, in a bathroom to decompress and avoid spreading his flea infestation around the house.<\/p>\n

Despite the fleas and head wounds, Pocillo\u2019s checkup at the vet the next day went well. And as he began to receive daily treatments for his ailments plus nonstop affection, the sweet cat started to thrive.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, he’s doing so much better,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHis wound has healed, and his fur is starting to grow back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paula Cuesta<\/p>\n

Pocillo\u2019s medical journey is still ongoing weeks after being rescued, but the resilient boy is improving every day. And his proud mama can\u2019t imagine life without him now.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s the sweetest little cat,\u201d Cuesta said. \u201cHe’s incredibly affectionate. He sleeps with me every night, and he’s always asking for cuddles, hugging me and wanting to be petted. He’s such a loving little cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

To keep up with Pocillo\u2019s adventures, you can follow Paula on Instagram<\/a>.\"Shelter<\/a>Shelter Cat Headbutts Grieving Volunteer \u2014 And Changes Both Of Their Lives Forever\u201c[I]t felt like fate \u2026\u201d<\/a>