When Carmen Weinberg, the founder of Animal Friends Project, received a call about a stray cat with a strange skin condition, she instantly sprung into action.

With countless strays she had rescued, she thought she had seen it all. Yet, to her surprise, this was the most brutal case of mange she had witnessed so far.

Carmen was contacted by a woman who spotted a stray cat in a desperate condition. As she told Love Meow:

“She told us that there was a sick orange cat crying in front of her house. He seemed to suffer from mange (a skin disease) and could not open his eyes.”

Without wasting a second, Carmen arrived immediately, equipped with everything necessary to safely trap the animal. To her surprise, it went easier than expected, because the poor animal was so desperate it begged to be saved.

All she needed to do was place some food in the cage and the poor kitty, evidently starving, followed the smell. As she reports:

“He was so hungry and covered in mange – it was like a hard shell all over his body. His eyes were closed as a result of it.”

The struggling feline was clearly experiencing horrible pain and discomfort. With an itchy crust covering a huge portion of his body, especially his face, he looked like he had an outer shell.

But even with a heavy crust covering his body, Carmen saw him for what he really was – a gorgeous ginger cat. The name Simba felt like a perfect fit for such a magnificent kitty. She took him home and his recovery process started.

His past was a mystery, but it was clear that he had suffered for some time. Ill-fated, blind, and shunned by everyone because of his grim appearance, Simba was hungry – for both food and love. Carmen shared on her Facebook:

“He eats everything I put in front of him and I am hoping he will gain weight soon. He is still relaxed, observing everything. I wonder what he thinks of all these changes in his life.”

Although the healing process wasn’t easy, the first signs of improvement started to show after a couple of days. The yucky crust began to shed piece by piece, bringing relief to the afflicted kitty.

As the crust peeled away, Simba was soon able to open his eyes and, for the first time, see the person who had saved him.

With his good appetite and delicious canned food (his favorite) he was devouring, he soon began gaining weight. The worst was behind him and Simba could finally relax. As Carmen reports:

“There is nothing like seeing a cat relaxed, knowing they are no longer feeling miserable. Simba continued to recover. He lost a lot of hair but his skin was healing nicely.”

Grateful to his rescuers for the second chance he was given, Simba was an active participant in his treatment process from the beginning. He was a good boy and an obedient patient, proving wrong those who say gingers are unhinged.

Months after starting the treatment, his beautiful orange fur, previously fallen off, started growing back. Along with his fluffiness came back his ginger sass. He finally started feeling himself!

Simba came a long way from being a miserable kitty covered in mange to becoming a handsome and charming ginger boy. His transformation was nothing short of miraculous.

His incredible journey culminated in the perfect ending when he found his forever home where he’ll receive the love he deserves.