'Nurse cat' lends a paw to veterinarians at Polish animal shelter
Helpful 'nurse cat' comforts sick shelter animals with cuddles, kisses and ear-cleanings
With no formal medical training, a 9-month-old Polish cat has become one of the most celebrated healthcare workers in the world right now.
Meet Rademenes the "cat nurse" — a shelter kitty who spends his time comforting sick animals with cuddles, kisses and even massages.
Polish news channel TVN Meteo reports that Rademenes was brought to the animal shelter in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with a severe respiratory infection when he was only two months old.
Staffers were doubtful that the tiny black kitten would survive, but decided to begin treatment when they heard him purring.
Half-a-year later, Rademenes is fully recovered thanks to the efforts of veterinarian Lucyna Kuziel-Zawalich, who named him the shelter's mascot and gave him a place to live.
According to the friendly feline's "co-workers," Rademenes started befriending other animals within the shelter shortly after he got his strength back, paying special attention to those who were recovering from surgery.
Shelter director Izabella Szolginia told TVN Meteo that Rademenes provides both cats and dogs with "hugs" when they appear to be sick.
He's even been spotted cleaning other animals' ears by staff members who now jokingly call him a "full-time nurse."
While already popular among locals according to Bored Banda, Rademenes didn't go viral until an Imgur user called kimfromnorway shared photos of the furry healer at work.
That Imgur gallery has now been viewed nearly 800,000 times, earning Rademenes heaps of internet praise — which, knowing cats, we're sure he'd trade for tuna in a heartbeat.
