Sergeant Jesse Knott is a brave soldier who has served in the United States Army for over eight years. When he was in Afghanistan in 2010, Knott met Koshka, a feral cat who often spent time on the army base. Koshka helped solve the base’s mouse problems.
Knott quickly bonded with the cat, and he was upset to see that people weren’t taking great care of him.
“He was showing some signs that people weren’t really taking good care of him,” Knott told CNN. “I found paint in his fur a couple of times, and then, people took a pair of clippers and shaved his back.”
The soldiers weren’t supposed to have pets, but Knott had to do something to help Koshka. So, he kept the little cat in his office.
Knott loved having Koshka as a companion, but he didn’t realize how much he needed Koshka until a terrible day in December 2011. Two of Knott’s friends were tragically killed by a suicide bomber. After Knott heard this news, he went into his office to cry. Koshka quickly crawled into his lap and comforted him.
“I’d lost hope in myself, I’d lost faith,” Knott said. “And all of a sudden, this cat comes over and just reminds me that, hey, you’re you.”
Knott knew Koshka couldn’t stay in his office forever—if the cat was going to survive and have a good life, he needed to get him to the United States.
“He pulled me out of one of my darkest times, so I had to pull him out of one of his darkest places,” Knott explained.
Knott was unable to get the cat on an American convoy, and he started to worry he wouldn’t be able to save him. But then, an Afghan interpreter said he would take Koshka to Kabul. From there, they would be able to get the cat on a plane to America. This was an incredibly brave act—if the Taliban learned the Afghan interpreter was helping an American, they would have killed him.
Knott said goodbye to Koshka, and he and the Afghan interpreter headed to Kabul. Thankfully, the two reached Kabul without incident.
Knott’s parents paid for the cat’s flight, and he was soon on his way to Islamabad, Pakistan. There, he boarded a plane to New York. From there, he flew to Portland, Oregon, where Knott’s parents were waiting for him.
Koshka stayed with Knott’s parents until Knott arrived home from Afghanistan. Koshka was so happy to see his dad, and Knott was just as excited to see him!
Now, Koshka is eight years old, and he’s still a playful, friendly cat who loves hanging with his dad and going on adventures.
Koshka and his dad both love exploring the great outdoors together, and they also enjoy simply hanging at home. Knott often shares photos of Koshka’s adventures on his Facebook page.
Knott went to truly incredible lengths to get Koshka to safety, and Koshka also did an amazing job helping Knott through one of the hardest times in his life. If you’d like to learn more about Koshka and Knott, check out the video below.
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