PHOTOS: Nearly Blind Emporia Kitten Bounces Back Beautifully After Good Samaritan’s Rescue

For Immediate Release:
March 17, 2026

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

“One of his eyes is popping out!” That was the desperate plea an Emporia woman made when she called PETA for help—setting off a dramatic rescue that saved the life, and the sight, of a badly injured kitten now named Bartimaeus (“Barti”).

Found stumbling along, alone in a wooded area, the 5-month-old kitten was in crisis: One eye was swollen and oozing “like an inflamed blueberry,” and the other wasn’t far behind. The caller who discovered him had no transportation and no way to get veterinary care, but she made the call that sent PETA fieldworkers rushing to the scene to pick up the nearly blind kitten.

Back at PETA’s Norfolk shelter, PETA’s team sprang into action: a veterinary technician began treatment for Barti’s severe respiratory infection; a veterinarian removed the destroyed right eye and started an intensive regimen to save the kitten’s left eye; and a veterinary assistant carried the tiny tabby home to foster, where he healed and grew stronger.

Today, Barti—named after the blind man whose sight was restored in the Bible—is thriving. He’s neutered, vaccinated, playful, and ready for a loving home. East Coast residents interested in adopting him can contact [email protected].

“While Barti is now recovering safely indoors, so many other cats left to fend for themselves outdoors suffer and die in awful ways,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA urges guardians to keep their feline family members indoors, safe from cruel people, contagious diseases, predators, speeding cars, and the many other dangers that can befall them.”

Toys, climbing structures and scratching posts, cat TV, and other enrichment allow cats to enjoy stimulating lives indoors. PETA offers a catio-building guide as well as a “cat guardian’s bible” written by PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk that’s full of tips and available for purchase here.

PETA notes that while Barti’s left eye has healed well, potential adopters should be prepared for the possibility of needing to seek care from animal eye care specialists in addition to a general veterinarian.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.