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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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The moment a 12-year-old rescue cat named Loaf experienced the joy of playing with his first toy has melted hearts.
Maria Torres, from Miami, stumbled upon the elderly cat while on a beach outing with her daughter.
"I found Loaf after a trip to the beach, which I rarely got to do. While I was looking at a giant pile of garbage, I saw him peeking out from the mangroves," Torres told Newsweek. "He's roughly around 12 years old, and after seeing his condition, I just couldn't leave him behind."
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Torres is no stranger to animal rescue. She runs Love N Light Furever Rescue, which helps save and rehabilitate stray animals in South Florida.
In a video seen by more than 42,000 viewers on TikTok, Torres gave the senior cat a catnip-filled rainbow toy. "To give him his first toy was pretty extraordinary and kind of scary because I didn't know how he was gonna feel about it," Torres said. "The truth is, a cat who's lived on the streets for 12 years sometimes doesn't even recognize toys, so I was actually pretty shocked that he took a liking to it right away."
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Loaf had lived a rough life, spending his years on the beach where he was likely born. Though a group of dedicated feeders and caregivers had been making sure he had food, water and some veterinary care, his feline immunodeficiency virus and the overpopulation crisis in South Florida made it difficult for anyone to offer him a permanent home—until Torres came along.
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Feline immunodeficiency virus is a significant viral infection in cats that attacks the immune system. Despite this, many cats live long and happy lives with the condition.
Now safely in Torres' care, Loaf seemed delighted with his toy, even expressing his happiness with some well-placed meows, the video showed.
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In the comments section, TikTok users shared their reactions to the moment.
"I love watching street cats play with toys for the first time!" one viewer wrote, while another added: "This is the most kindness he's ever received. I'm crying."
Torres, who specializes in medical rescue cases, is caring for Loaf while navigating the possibility that he might have cancer. She said she is committed to providing Loaf with the best life possible, whether that means giving him a permanent home or preparing him for adoption if his health improves.
She added: "If we find that he is healthy and whatever is going on in his head can be fixed, as a rescue, my intention is always to adopt our animals so I can continue to help more."
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