We love celebrities who love animals. It’s always heartwarming to hear about celebs who opened their hearts to animals in need, and the incredible stories they have about their pets.

Recently, Matt Damon opened up about a remarkable cat he rescued from the jungles of Costa Rica… and the cat’s knack for surviving despite the odds.

The 53-year-old Good Will Hunting star appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on April 1, and during their interview he told a story about a cat he adopted while staying in an Airbnb in Costa Rica 10 years ago.

The cat, Damon recalled, had been fighting for survival on his own. “He was living by himself in the jungle. He was the coolest cat,” Damon said. “He was hunting. He had two giant holes in his side. He was fighting for his life every night.”

During their month stay, Damon and his family took care of the cat, who came to rely on them. When it came time to leave Costa Rica, Damon knew they had to take the cat with them.

“He moved into our house,” Damon recalled, and while they had a backyard space for the cat “he never went outside ever again.”

The cat was later diagnosed with a brain tumor, but Damon vowed to get him all the help he needs. “He’s the toughest jungle cat; I’m not gonna let a brain tumor take this cat out,” he told Colbert.

The family moved to New York, and Damon recalled that his cat lost a lot of weight and began walking in circles. He met with a “cat neurologist” (named Chad) who suggested that the cat’s quality of life was declining and that they might need to make a tough decision.

However, the neurologist offered to “load him up on steroids.” While there were some risks of longterm issues, they agreed to begin the plan and “see what happens.”

Damon then revealed that the cat has survived two and a half years since then, and he’s now “jacked.”

“I joke that he’s like Arnold Schwarzenegger,” the actor joked. “He looks great!”

In addition to his cat, Damon said he also has four dogs.

What an incredible story — thank you to Matt Damon and his family for taking care of this cat. It sounds like this cat truly has “nine lives”! ❤️

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