Two months ago, a 1-year-old cat was found lying on the road in northern New Jersey. A Good Samaritan took him to a local speciality hospital to get help.

"They thought he had been hit by a car. It wasn't until nurses and emergency vets cleaned away the blood and did X-rays, did they realize that he had been shot," Kelley Peters told Love Meow.

They contacted Kelley at The Kitty Krusade, a local rescue group in Montclair, New Jersey and asked if they could take him in as a rescue.

"'Of course!' I said," Kelley added. "He needed a tough guy name. So he was named Clint Eastwood."

Clint had been injured through the neck where three vertebrae were severely damaged. He was barely hanging on.

"For the next few days, it was minute by minute. He was dependent on oxygen and quadriplegic. The prognosis wasn't good," Kelley said. "If he survived his significant injuries, the chances of him walking again were very slim, but no one ever gave up on him."

Day by day, Clint showed his will to live. At first, he had to be spoon-fed. As soon as he regained his energy, he was eating like a champ. Kelley visited him every night at the hospital, showering him with love and cheering him on.

A couple weeks later, he started to move, using his front paws. When he began his daily physical therapy, he amazed everyone with his determination to walk.

"We could tell Clint wanted to walk. He had an eagerness to move, and would try so hard. He would make little meows like he was saying, 'Come on! You can do it.' He was determined and practiced so hard every day," Kelley told Love Meow.

Clint had therapy three times a day, gradually working up to "walking" 1/4 mile a day, along with laser therapy and massages twice a week.

With every practice, Clint got a bit stronger and more confident. Kelley had to hold his back legs up for a while until one day, he walked right out of her hands, and did it all on his own. "The days and weeks of practice paid off."

In just a few weeks, the tabby boy was strong enough to walk all by himself.

"Never once did Clint give up. Never once did we think of giving up on him. In that, he showed others if you believe you can, you can accomplish anything," Kelley told Love Meow.

Despite his traumatic past, Clint continues to show love to his human friends. "He's super happy, sweet, loving and a purr machine." He loves to be with other cats like Justin, a fire survivor. They are always by his side, even during his physical therapy.

"He always knew he could and would walk. It was just a matter of time. Even when he got frustrated or his legs wouldn't move, he still found a way. Those moves turned into a crawl which became steps.

"Clint continues to astound all and beat the odds, walking, climbing stairs, playing, and doing all kitty things," Kelley told Love Meow.

Follow updates on Clint the miracle kitty on Facebook and Instagram. If you would like to support their rescue efforts, click here to see how you can help.

Watch Clint's journey in this video:

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