Raven

Raven’s story is a heartbreaking one. She was born in Antalya, about three hours from where we live now, and she is now four years old.

When she was still very young, Raven suffered a brutal injury. She was kicked in the face by a passerby, leaving her severely wounded. Because of her fear and pain, she was extremely difficult to catch. Rescuing a cat in that condition without proper equipment can take weeks or even months — and in Raven’s case, it did. Eventually, she was safely trapped and taken straight to the vet.

After examining her and performing X-rays, the vet confirmed that her injuries were not caused by an infection or an accident like a car or motorbike. The trauma was consistent with a direct blow to the face — most likely a kick.

Her injuries were devastating. Following the trauma, she developed a severe infection in her mouth, which began to destroy the surrounding tissue and bone. This is why Raven lost a large part of her face. The vets explained that reconstructive surgery was not possible due to the extent of the bone loss. Even if it were, it would have caused her immense pain and further trauma. Surgeries involving the jaw and mouth are especially difficult for cats, as they affect their ability to eat and recover comfortably. In Raven’s case, it would have required intensive handling and care — something she simply wouldn’t have tolerated due to her fear of humans.

We don’t know what Raven’s life was like before this happened. We don’t know if she was once friendly or trusting — but she must have trusted humans enough to get close to one. That trust was broken in the worst possible way.

Over time, Raven has slowly begun to come out of her shell. Even now, after two years with us, we still can’t always pick her up — we have to wait for the right moment. But little by little, she shows us glimpses of the cat she might once have been: gentle, curious, and capable of love.

Despite everything she has been through, Raven is not in pain. She eats and drinks well, keeps herself clean, plays, jumps, and even does zoomies around the house. In fact, she’s probably the heaviest of all our cats — she’s thriving in her own way.

We do keep a close eye on her health. Because of how her mouth healed, a few of her teeth are positioned unusually and can grow toward her nasal area. She only has a few teeth left on one side and whiskers on just one side of her face, so regular vet check-ups are important to make sure she remains comfortable and pain-free.

Raven has touched more hearts than we could have ever imagined. Through her story, our goal is to educate — to show people how to treat street animals with kindness and compassion, and to teach children how to behave gently and respectfully around them. In a country like Turkey, where street animals are a part of everyday life, there is still so much fear and misunderstanding. Raven helps change that.

She is an inspiration. People are amazed by her strength, her resilience, and her ability to simply carry on with life. In her own way, she reminds us that we can do the same.

We also feel that Raven came into our lives for a reason. I saved her — but in many ways, she saved me too. Because of her, we’ve been able to help so many other animals. She has opened doors, connected us with incredible people around the world, and brought so much meaning into what we do.

Raven is deeply loved, not just by us, but by so many. We owe her everything — and we will make sure she lives the happiest, safest, and most loved life possible.