The cat who meowed in the face of disaster

When the plane doors opened, a single sound rose above the hum of the engines: one indignant, unmistakable meow. Volunteers smiled as they carried cats and dogs in their kennels off the plane from flood-stricken Texas — that voice ringing out for all to hear.

In that single meow, Bermuda spoke for every animal who was getting a second chance. And Bermuda was well on his way to his happily-ever-after.

In July 2025, Texas saw flooding unlike anything in recent memory, leaving people and animals alike displaced. Animal shelters were also overwhelmed, caring for their adoptable pets while also taking in lost and displaced pets. Best Friends worked closely with the impacted shelters, taking in adoptable pets from Texas to help free up space for the shelters to focus on lost and displaced pets. A Wings of Rescue flight brought Bermuda and 67 other adoptable pets to the safety of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah — a journey from chaos to calm, from uncertainty to hope.

Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means working together with other animal welfare organizations not only on day-to-day lifesaving but also in emergency situations like the one that struck Texas. The flight carrying Bermuda wasn’t just a rescue mission — it was a testament to what compassion in action looks like.

Once at the Sanctuary, Bermuda wasted no time settling in. He promptly claimed the tallest throne — er, cat tree — and began greeting visitors with his signature purr.

With his creamy-white coat and orange-tipped ears and tail, Bermuda’s looks turned heads, but it was his bossy charm that stole hearts.

“He came in and made himself right at home,” says Best Friends caregiver Alicia McCormack. Even with his whole world turned upside down, his confidence never wavered.

Bermuda saw a playmate in everyone he met — cats, people, you name it.

[Frisky feline bounds toward a bright future]

“He’s a little spitfire,” Alicia says, laughing. He loved playing with the other cats — all pounces, tackles, and unapologetic swagger. Bermuda was equal parts class clown and homecoming king — adored by everyone and fully aware of it.

Not even a case of ringworm — a contagious but treatable fungal infection — could dim Bermuda’s glow. While he spent time in quarantine for treatment, caregivers said he was still just as bold and affectionate as ever, serenading everyone with that happy purr.

And once he was cleared of ringworm, he was as peppy and flamboyant as ever, trailing volunteers and visitors like a furry shadow and requesting attention at every turn. Bermuda wasn’t just surviving; he was thriving.

Bermuda’s charisma didn’t stop at the Sanctuary. He even made his public debut at a local festival in St. George, Utah, where adoptable pets were welcomed.

“He was so chilled out at the event,” says Best Friends adoption specialist Riley Prewett. “He just lounged there, waiting for people to come over. And once they did, he’d pull them in for more cuddles.” A true showman, he totally knew how to work a crowd.

[Adoption update from the world’s cuddliest cat]

Bermuda soaked up the attention, and soon someone special took notice. Bermuda didn’t hesitate. That same confidence — that same joyful energy that carried him through floodwaters, through quarantine, and onto a festival lawn — worked its way right into his adopter’s heart.

And soon Bermuda was off to take center stage in his greatest role yet: life in a loving home.

Now, instead of echoing across a tarmac, his meow fills a living room. His purr — that steady, rolling thunder of contentment — is a daily reminder that joy isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you choose.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.