Cabby in Thailand rescues disabled orange cat, brings it to work daily

A feline passenger has gone viral after it was filmed resting next to a female taxi driver in Thailand. 

A TikTok video posted on May 4 by user @kip182524 shows the ginger cat resting atop a turquoise blanket placed between the driver's seat and front passenger seat. 

The video, which has garnered over 101,000 likes and 7,450 shares, captioned: "Is it a doll or real cat?" 

Two female passengers seated in the back seat of the taxi were surprised when they noticed the cat resting peacefully and leaned forward to pet it, before the driver switched on the dome light. 

The driver asked if they were comfortable with a cat being in the vehicle to which the two passengers appeared delighted and remarked that the cat was so quiet and well-behaved they wouldn't have realised, reported MS News. 

@asiaone A taxi driver in Thailand has touched hearts online after rescuing a disabled orange cat and bringing it along for taxi rides every day. #news #Thailand #Taxi #Animals #Cats #Rescue ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

The cabby told local media that during an early morning job on July 31, 2024, she spotted the cat lying unconscious by the roadside and stopped to check. 

Realising it was still breathing, she rushed it to a veterinarian and found that it had suffered severe injuries from a vehicle accident, including spinal injuries which resulted in paralysis of its hind legs and incontinence, the driver added.

The cabby decided to adopt the feline despite being the difficulties of caring for a disabled pet and, during the early stages of recovery, would reportedly drive it to vet appointments daily. 

The driver would also inform passengers beforehand that she had a cat in the taxi and advised those who are uncomfortable to cancel the ride, she told Thai media outlet Thairath. 

In the comments section, many netizens were enamoured by the adorable feline. 

"So cute! It's working to help its mum earn money," one user commented.

"She's definitely trying to lure customers in, so they'll keep coming back," another netizen quipped. 

[[nid:734258]]

esther.lam@asiaone.com