For 22 Years, This Veteran Has Been Feeding Stray Cats With The Money He Earns Selling Scrap Metal
Willie Ortiz has spent 22 years turning scrap metal into cat food, and that alone makes his story stand out. While many people talk about helping animals, he has quietly kept showing up for the stray cats in his neighborhood, day after day.
The retired soldier sells scrap metal to afford food for the cats he feeds, and his routine has become a small act of consistency in a world that often overlooks strays. It is simple, stubborn, and deeply personal, which is exactly why people keep noticing him.
Here is how one veteran turned a hard-earned hustle into a lifeline for animals that had nowhere else to go.
Meet Willie Ortiz.
Meet Willie Ortiz, a retired soldier, school bus driver, mechanic, and welder at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.
Every night, for the past 22 years, Ortiz has diligently fed and cared for stray cats. This humble man has not missed a single day feeding his feline friends, who depend on him for their survival.
Every night, Ortiz packs his minivan with cat food and makes a total of 16 stops across the city to feed 68 stray cats.
People like Ortiz are rare and hard to come by. He truly cares for the strays and would do anything to ensure they're safe and fed.
This proves the fact that not all heroes wear capes! Ortiz is among those heroes who don't blow their own trumpet and who silently teach humans how to be more caring and loving towards those who don't speak our language.
God bless, Ortiz.
How it all began...
His love for feeding stray cats began in 1995 when he saw a hungry cat begging for food just outside his friend's auto body shop. He was shocked to see how some people ignored the hungry cat while others tried to scare it away.
He wasn't going to stand by and watch as people refused to help feed a cat. He decided to feed the cat and soon noticed that there were many other stray cats around Hartford who needed help.
Every month, this hero spends about $600 to feed all the stray cats across the city. Not only does he feed them, but he also traps and releases feral cats, gets them the medical attention they need, and ensures they're vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
He also rescues kittens and finds them foster homes or adoptive families. It's important to understand that the $600 is only spent on food for the stray cats. The total cost is much higher when considering everything else he does to care for the strays.
That's where the story really starts to hit home.
Ortiz’s nightly routine feels similar to the stray cat’s roadside rescue, after it was nearly put down.
How he affords everything...
In order to continue feeding and caring for strays, 80-year-old Ortiz spends his mornings collecting and selling scrap metal, regardless of the weather. He earns between $20 and $60 per day selling scraps to recycling plants.
People who know Ortiz often give him metal donations so he doesn't have to work hard during the day collecting them.
He keeps finding a way to make it work.
You can help him too.
After his story went viral, people began asking how to donate to his cause. As a result, Ortiz's good friend, Kathleen Schlentz, set up a GoFundMe page where people could donate and learn more about Ortiz and his mission. Dr. Joel Kahn, a cardiologist and advocate for animal welfare, states, "Supporting those who care for animals in need is vital for community health and compassion." While Ortiz would humbly accept donations for cat food and care, he won't accept even a penny for himself or the gas he uses to drive his van across the city to feed the strays.
And that is why people want to help him back.
Want another “Cat Guy” story, check out how Paul Santell helps “Taco Bell Cats” in Queens.
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