When a tiny purple kitten was dropped off at a shelter in San Jose, California, staff immediately knew something was wrong.
It was not just the strange, deep shade of purple covering his fur. It was the look in his eyes.
The kind that suggests a kitten had already seen too much of the world.
No one knows for sure how the first few weeks of this kitten’s life unfolded.
But what his body revealed left the shelter workers stunned.
The kitten, believed to be under two months old, had been dyed purple from head to toe.
On closer inspection, he was also covered in puncture wounds and cuts. His fur was matted around healing scabs. And he was visibly afraid of being touched.
It was clear this was no accident. Someone had deliberately hurt him.
Instead of being put down, the kitten was rushed to the Nine Lives Foundation, a rescue group that specializes in caring for injured and abused cats.
There, veterinarian Dr. Monica Rudiger gave him a name to match his unusual appearance: Smurf.
But what Rudiger suspected made things even worse.
“I don’t know exactly what happened to him,” she explained, “but I’ve seen this before. Kittens like this are often used as bait in illegal dog fighting rings.”
Smurf sustained injuries like deep punctures, scratches, and a serious shoulder wound, all of which pointed toward one chilling possibility: that he had been used as a living chew toy.
According to Dr. Rudiger, this type of cruelty is far more common than most people realise.
In areas where dog fighting still occurs, kittens and other small animals are sometimes used as training bait.
It is brutal, it is inhumane, and it almost always goes unnoticed.
“In our area, cats are used as bait for pit bulls every day,” she said.
“That’s why giving away free kittens online is dangerous. People take them for all the wrong reasons. Smurf is just one of the lucky few we managed to save.”
As Smurf was cleaned up and shaved to treat his wounds, the full extent of his injuries came to light.
His shoulder was badly damaged, and his entire body showed signs of trauma.
But it was also clear that beneath all of that pain was a kitten still willing to trust humans.
“He’s doing better than we expected,” said Rudiger. “He’s affectionate. He purrs. Despite everything, he still wants love.”
Smurf’s purple fur, which is believed to have been dyed with garment dye, will probably never fully fade.
Even after being shaved, the color has soaked so deeply into his skin and coat that it may be permanent. But maybe that makes him more memorable.
A living reminder of what animals like him go through and how much they can still forgive.
Since his story began to spread, people from all over have reached out wanting to adopt him. But it will be a while before he is ready for that.
Smurf still needs time to heal, both physically and emotionally.
In the meantime, Dr. Rudiger hopes that people will focus not just on Smurf’s story, but on the many other cats like him who are still waiting in shelters for someone to care.
Some might not be purple. Some might not have visible scars.
But every single one of them has a story that deserves a second chance.
The Nine Lives Foundation continues to care for cats like Smurf every day, relying on donations and support from the public.
And while Smurf’s story has caught the attention of many, his rescuers know he is just one example of a bigger problem.
“Smurf will recover,” Rudiger said. “But I think about all the others we never even see.”
For now, Smurf is safe. He has a warm bed, kind hands around him, and a name that no one will forget.
He might still be purple, but his future is looking much brighter than his past.
