Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

In Istanbul, Turkey, a concerned mother cat brought her kitten to a hospital for help. Unfortunately, it was a human hospital's emergency room, not a vet, but fortunately, medics helped the poor cat and kitten anyway. Tweets and photos from Merve Özcan went totally viral. In the photos, you can clearly see the mother cat surrounded by paramedics, trying to get them to help her baby.


As sad as it was that this stray cat's kitten was sick, it is wildly impressive that she knew the hospital is where people (and animals) go to get help with their health. According to Bored Panda, Turkish media reports that even though the cat came to a human hospital, medics immediately jumped in to help. They inspected the kitten for obvious health problems, all while mom watched nearby.

While medics were looking after the little kitten, the mama cat was given milk and food to make her more comfortable. Bored Panda writes, "The Turks have long been known for their love and care for stray animals, with many leaving out food and water for them on the streets."

So there was no question that people at this human hospital would jump in and make sure this genius cat mom and her little one were OK. Soon after doctors checked out the kitten and made sure the situation wasn't dire, mother and baby were sent to a vet for proper evaluation.

The Turkish news and media covered every second of this story; people became so invested. And I understand why. The story also went viral on Reddit, where many shared their reactions in comments.

One commenter explained that, in Turkey, "stray cats and dogs are like everyone's pet. You can see food and water for these friends on every corner. Cats are welcome to sleep and live in mosques, etc. It's a beautiful place for stray animals." That's why it wasn't seen as surprising that this mom cat would place her trust in the humans in the hospital. She knew they would help. And now I'm emotional about a cat halfway around the world.

Because I know you're wondering, it's not clear what was wrong with the little kitten. Both mom and kitten seem to be doing OK, though, so that's the most important thing. According to one Reddit user, stray animals aren't just respected in Istanbul. They're also treated very well. "Istanbul does an AMAZING job with the stray animals," they write.

"They vaccinate them and store owners let the dogs sleep inside when it's raining. They are citizens of the city too and other places really should take notes." Another commenter confirmed this: "Dogs and cats are taken in to be vaccinated, neutered and earmarked before being let out on the streets again."

That's so good to hear. Often, strays are dismissed because the perception is that they don't get medical care, aren't vaccinated, and you don't know what kind of disease they might be carrying. But clearly, in Istanbul, stray animals live very different lives.

I mean, a cat walked into a human hospital and got care for her sick kitten, for goodness' sake! The level of trust is just astounding.

This article was originally published four years ago.

More For You

consumerism, marketing, unnecessary products, gaslighting, modern life

Confused shopper

Canva

These 21 products gaslight you into thinking they’re essential. They’re not.

Some things in life are actually necessary—clean water, decent healthcare, basic human decency. But then there are the things that feel like they’re gaslighting us. The things we’re told we can’t live without, even though we survived just fine before they existed. Things like "smart" fridges, lawn fertilizer services, and yes—whole body deodorant.

Recently, we asked our Facebook audience: What's a product or service that feels like it's gaslighting all of us into thinking it's necessary? More than 8,000 responses poured in. The answers were passionate, funny, and surprisingly unified.

Keep ReadingShow less
A Tim Hortons and a biker.

Representative Image: Luc Perreault's experience outside a Tim Hortons has opened a lot of eyes.

A mom told her daughter not to talk to the ‘dirty biker.’ His epic response is pure class.

We've all heard the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," but in reality, snap judgments happen every day. Whether it's based on someone's clothes, tattoos, or demeanor, these assumptions can often be unfair—and completely wrong. One Canadian biker experienced this firsthand when a mother at a Tim Hortons dismissed him as a "dirty biker" in front of her child. Instead of reacting with anger, he shared a powerful message on Facebook that resonated with thousands.

Luc Perreault, a burly, tattooed biker, had stopped at Tim Hortons for a coffee when he exchanged a friendly smile with a little girl. But rather than receiving kindness in return, he overheard the child's mother pulling her away and saying, "No, no, dear, we don’t talk to dirty bikers."

Keep ReadingShow less
Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Representative Image: The first moments of a child's life can be precarious, but new moms have power in these moments.

Representative image by Canva

Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Life rarely gives us the storybook moment where darkness turns to triumph—but it does happen. Kate and David Ogg had such a moment. The Australian couple welcomed premature twins into the world on March 25, 2010, but their joy quickly turned to heartbreak when doctors told them that their baby boy, Jamie, hadn’t survived. What happened next would become a story of love, resilience, and the extraordinary power of a mother’s touch.

Kate and David had been ecstatic to learn they were expecting twins, but their excitement was overshadowed when the babies arrived prematurely at just 27 weeks. Doctors worked tirelessly to save them, but after 20 minutes of efforts, Jamie was pronounced dead. Devastated, the medical team placed his tiny body on Kate’s chest so she could say her goodbyes.

Keep ReadingShow less
She offered a homeless man some pizza—he was actually a Hollywood star in disguise
Canva

She offered a homeless man some pizza—he was actually a Hollywood star in disguise

A simple act of kindness turned into an unforgettable story for one woman and her family while visiting New York City. Karine Gombeau, a French tourist, was exploring the city with her husband and teenage son when she spotted a man rummaging through a trash can near Grand Central Terminal. Moved by what she saw, she decided to offer the man some leftover pizza.

"He should have my pizza instead of going through that bin."

— Karine Gombeau

What she didn’t know? That “homeless man” was actually Hollywood legend Richard Gere.

Keep ReadingShow less
Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Representative Image: The first moments of a child's life can be precarious, but new moms have power in these moments.

Representative image by Canva

Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Life rarely gives us the storybook moment where darkness turns to triumph—but it does happen. Kate and David Ogg had such a moment. The Australian couple welcomed premature twins into the world on March 25, 2010, but their joy quickly turned to heartbreak when doctors told them that their baby boy, Jamie, hadn’t survived. What happened next would become a story of love, resilience, and the extraordinary power of a mother’s touch.

Kate and David had been ecstatic to learn they were expecting twins, but their excitement was overshadowed when the babies arrived prematurely at just 27 weeks. Doctors worked tirelessly to save them, but after 20 minutes of efforts, Jamie was pronounced dead. Devastated, the medical team placed his tiny body on Kate’s chest so she could say her goodbyes.

Keep ReadingShow less