Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them are passionate cat lovers who, with just a simple “Hello!” to a stray in need, end up changing its life forever.

Let me introduce you to Lori Farris, a special needs teacher from Florida. One day, she decided to save the life of a poor kitty who was about to be euthanized simply because she was deemed “ugly.” 

Can you believe that? As if there’s such a thing as an ugly cat, right?

Lori was leaving one of her student’s homes when she spotted an unusual cat on the side of the road, no more than five weeks old.

She greeted the tiny feline and gave her a few gentle pats on the head, then continued walking towards her car. However, the cat decided to follow Lori! 

Touched by the cat’s plight, Lori took her home, gave her a nice bath, and some yummy food to eat.

She named her new feline companion Willow, after the street she was found on, and within a few days took her to what was probably her very first vet visit. 

After examining Willow, the vet determined that the poor kitty was suffering from intestinal parasites and a severe eye infection. 

To make matters worse, Willow was also born with facial deformities, which included low muscle tone in the face and a flat nasal bridge. The vet mentioned that her condition is very rare in felines and is somewhat similar to Down Syndrome in humans.

Since Lori wasn’t sure if she’d keep Willow, the vet mentioned that if she decided to give her to the local shelter, they’d probably put her down.

Sadly, due to her unusual appearance often being perceived as “ugly” by most people, there was hardly any chance for her to be adopted by anyone anytime soon.

Heartbroken by what she heard, Lori knew there was only one thing she could do: Adopt little Willow herself!

Willow adapted quickly to living indoors. She adored her new forever home and her mom, Lori, who made sure her little purrincess had everything she could imagine from day one.

However, what may come as the biggest surprise is the fact that from the very beginning, Willow didn’t seem to mind the company of her canine sister, Ella, Lori’s adorable boxer.

Recalling their first encounter, Lori said:

“When I first brought Willow to the house, Ella was so interested in her and eventually built up the guts to come see her. Willow gave her a bit of a swipe and a spirited bite, and they have been inseparable ever since.”

Willow and Ella instantly became besties, enjoying fun outdoor activities like running around Lori’s yard or simply playing inside their home.

Sadly, Willow lost her bestie a couple of months ago when Ella crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She mourned her beloved friend for a while, and then her mom Lori got her another boxer pup to help her cope with her loss. 

When talking about Willow’s appearance, Lori says she doesn’t mind people saying her cat looks “weird” or “silly.” She knows Willow’s got a unique look and wants people to appreciate it.

However, what really gets under Lori’s skin is when people call Willow ugly – because that’s just not true for this gorgeous feline. Don’t you agree?

Just like many other cat parents out there, Lori also set up Willow’s own Instagram account, which now boasts over 260,000 followers and is all about celebrating diversity and uniqueness.

As a caring special needs teacher from Florida, Lori makes sure her posts are always uplifting and motivating. She wants to help people learn how to love themselves more and believe in their ability to make positive changes in the world.

And the coolest part is that it actually works! As I scrolled through Willow’s Instagram, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by the encouraging captions. It’s incredible what a photo of a cat in a flower hat can do for someone’s confidence!

I truly hope Willow’s story inspired you as much as it did me. For your daily dose of motivation, be sure to follow her Instagram account. She’d be a purrfect addition to your feed!