This story is just too cute not to share.. A little baby kitten was discovered wandering the streets of Thailand by itself. The local family was out and about on a pleasant evening when they came across the kid.Copy. When they looked more closely, they saw that this kitten was unlike any other they had ever seen.

The family decided to contact the animal welfare group The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), and representatives arrived to take a look. The group determined after much research that the animal in question was a fishing cat, a unique kind of cat that is critically endangered. This ‘wild cat’ can get twice as big as a domestic cat and loves all things aquatic. The cat got its name because it enjoys fishing and hunting so much.

According to Wikipedia, “the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. Since 2016, it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Fishing cat populations are threatened by destruction of wetlands and declined severely over the last decade. Fishing cats live foremost in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps and mangroves.”

The kitten was only a few hours old when he was found by the family, as was determined by WFFT. The organization’s experts were perplexed by the mother’s apparent willingness to forsake her newborn. The family decided they liked the uncommon cat and asked to try keeping it for a while. So they named him Simba. The cat obviously cared deeply for its human family.

The family was always on the lookout, certain that the kitten’s mother would soon arrive to care for her young. It’s too bad that never materialized. The family decided to breastfeed Simba, and he turned out to be a stunning fisherman. Thankfully, Simba seems to be doing fine for the time being, but his continued health and happiness is crucial. According to the WFFT, “poaching and retribution killing were the major causes for a high Fishing Cat mortality of 84% in Thailand.”

It is not just a miracle that Simba was saved, but the survival of his species depends on it. Check out this video of some additional rescued felines! These cats may not be fishing cats, but they are certainly adorable:

Animals, like humans, are sentient beings essential to the survival of the natural world.