What began as a routine drive home for an Indiana woman turned into a moment she would not soon forget.
Up ahead, something small and fluffy flashed across the road. From that distance, it was hard to identify, but the tiny figure was clearly panicking, scrambling to find somewhere safe.
In an instant, the animal raced toward a parked car and wedged itself into the tire well. There was no escape from there.
That was the moment Natalie Bartuszek knew she could not keep driving. She had to stop and help.
A Frightened Kitten With Nowhere To Go
As Natalie got closer, the mystery became clear. The small creature was a kitten, frozen with fear.
She pulled over immediately, grabbed a towel, and started searching. The kitten darted toward another car, then vanished from sight.
“He was absolutely petrified. He kept running away from me. He started heading back towards the traffic, and I cut him off,” Bartuszek told The Dodo.
After checking around the vehicle, Natalie finally spotted him tucked tightly inside the tire. He was wedged in place and unwilling to budge.
“He came out fighting. We placed him in a cat carrier. He was so stressed out. He was panting and just completely fluffed up,” she said.
The kitten was in full panic.
Everything about his behavior suggested he had little to no experience with people, and the chaos of the moment had left him terrified.
Because Natalie had cats of her own, she understood that fear like this takes time to ease. Once she managed a closer look, she realized he was not hurt. He was simply frightened and trying to protect himself.
From Roadside Rescue To A Second Chance
Natalie contacted Whiskers of Winfield, an animal rescue organization based in Indiana, and they agreed to take the kitten in.
The rescue team decided to bring him along to one of their local adoption events. That was where Megan Martin, the group’s social media manager, met him for the first time.
“We had a couple people, like, trying to reach in at him right away. I’m like, ‘No, no, he’s brand new here.’ He was just so scared,” Martin shared.
They gave the kitten a much-needed bath, treated him for fleas, and gently cleaned him up. Afterward, wrapped up and warm, he looked like an entirely different animal.
The rescuers named him Indy, a nod to the state where he was found. With patience and steady care, Martin spent time helping him adjust, slowly building his trust in people.
Before long, Indy was placed with a foster family. In their home, he discovered toys, affection, and the simple joy of being safe.
Today, Indy fills his days exploring his surroundings, learning the rhythms of indoor life, and playing with his foster siblings. Each day offers something new.
For a kitten who once hid inside a car tire, everything has changed. Because one woman stopped and a rescue team stepped in, Indy now has the future he was once running from traffic to survive.