A South Texas cat sanctuary, struggling to care for injured and hospice cats, was on the brink of shutting down until a TikTok influencer and his community stepped in. Spencer from SB Mowing, known for revitalizing overgrown lawns for those in need, discovered the sanctuary during a visit to Corpus Christi in February.
While mowing, Spencer found an injured cat, later named Esbee, with multiple puncture wounds that had become infected. After contacting local rescues, only Edgar and Ivy’s Cat Sanctuary agreed to take in the cat, which was in critical condition. Director Anissa Beal reported that Esbee would have faced severe health risks without immediate treatment.
Grateful for the sanctuary’s help, Spencer donated $100 and launched a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to raise $10,000 with support from his nearly 10 million TikTok followers. To Beal’s surprise, the campaign quickly garnered $190,000 in donations, alongside four truckloads of items from the sanctuary’s Amazon wishlist.
Before the fundraising efforts, Beal had been funding the sanctuary herself, covering about $80,000 annually in expenses. She had nearly decided to close the sanctuary due to financial strain. “I kept praying for a sign to continue,” Beal said. “He saved us.”
In recognition of Spencer’s impact, the sanctuary named its newest building the SB Mowing Community Wellness Center. Esbee has since fully recovered and remains a beloved resident at the sanctuary, which has now rescued over 700 cats and aims to save many more in the future. Beal decided to keep Esbee at the sanctuary to ensure his safety, stating, “I felt it was the right way to keep him safe for the rest of his life.”
