The feeling of finding an unexpected package on the doorstep is usually nothing more than a curiosity. For one Ohio rescuer, however, that ordinary moment turned into something far more emotional. What she discovered changed the course of her entire evening and the life of an abandoned cat.
One night, while Kay Banks, founder of Tabby Tails Cat Rescue, was in the shower, her phone lit up with a motion alert from her home security camera. The timestamp and the unexpected notification made her pause. She quickly dried off, wrapped herself in a towel, and hurried to the front door.
A few packages sat neatly stacked on the porch, but something about the small black bag resting on top immediately felt off.
A Shocking Find On The Porch
Kay crouched down to inspect the bag, and as she leaned in, she saw something move. Her breath caught when she realized she was staring into a pair of glowing eyes.
The bag was not holding merchandise. It was holding a frightened orange cat.
Someone had zipped the cat into a carrier-style bag and left him outside in the rain, alone and terrified.
“He was very terrified. He was crying the whole time on our camera. Physically he’s in OK condition. It was obvious he was a pet,” Kay told The Dodo.
Kay carried the bag inside and unzipped it carefully. The moment the zipper opened, the cat froze. He pressed himself into the back of the bag, unsure of what to expect next. After being abandoned so suddenly, he could not bring himself to trust anyone.
Kay knew he needed time, so she set up a kennel with warm bedding and placed him inside, hoping he would feel more secure in an enclosed space.
Over the next hours, the cat, later named Jackson, made it painfully clear that he was overwhelmed. Whenever Kay attempted to feed him or clean his space, he would hiss, swat, or retreat into the very corner of the kennel.
Still, Kay refused to give up on him.
Jackson Learns To Trust Again
Kay settled into a routine. She spent calm, quiet moments near the kennel each day, speaking softly and avoiding sudden movements. Jackson began to observe her from a safer distance, and his rigid posture slowly eased as he realized she meant no harm.
Kay posted updates on TikTok where thousands of viewers expressed heartbreak and support. Many wondered what could have triggered such fearful behavior.
Kay explained it with care in a video.
“Jackson is acting very extreme, but this actually isn’t something that is super uncommon. The truth of the matter is that being surrendered is one of the scariest and most terrifying things your pets could ever go through. And it’s not uncommon for your pets to become so scared, become so stressed, and become so depressed that they act like this,” she said.
As Jackson’s story spread, Kay addressed another serious issue that rescues face. People often leave animals at rescue locations without warning or permission, which puts both the animals and the rescuers in difficult situations.
“Please stop leaving cats here without our permission. Abusing the generosity of rescues and shelters puts these animals at risk. I don’t close our intake for fun. I close it because we don’t have enough food to feed an extra mouth. We don’t have funds to care for their medical needs, and because we don’t have the time or space for another cat,” she wrote on Facebook.
She explained that many rescues run with limited volunteers, limited funds, and limited room.
“If we had an infinite amount of resources, you better believe I’d be trying my best to save every baby. But that’s unfortunately not the case,” she added.
A New Chapter For A Once-Forgotten Cat
Jackson’s fear has not disappeared overnight, but the progress is noticeable. His posture is softer, his gaze is steadier, and he no longer hides every time Kay approaches.
Days filled with patience and kindness are helping him understand that his life has changed for the better.
He is learning that he is safe, wanted, and protected.
And in time, he will know that being left on that porch was not the end of his story. It was the beginning of a new one.
To follow Jackson’s progress, supporters can continue watching Kay’s updates on TikTok.