A Michigan animal rescue recently shared the touching story of Maliha, a foster cat who faced a devastating setback during her pregnancy.
Maliha, a young cat of about 2 or 3 years old, was given up by her previous owner, according to Erin Moore from Animal House of SE MI. Moore revealed to Newsweek that Maliha’s former owner failed to provide her with necessary veterinary care or spay her. When Maliha became pregnant, her owner decided they did not want kittens in their home and heartlessly abandoned her on the streets.
Fortunately, a local dog rescue discovered Maliha and contacted Moore, knowing her extensive experience with emergency veterinary work, pregnancies, and special-needs cats and kittens. They asked Moore to provide Maliha with a loving home.
Moore’s concern for Maliha and her unborn kittens grew when she noticed unusual symptoms in the cat’s pregnancy. Maliha’s appetite decreased, and her belly began to soften. By the fifth day, Maliha was losing weight and showing signs of a miscarriage, prompting Moore to rush her to the vet.
A vet visit confirmed the sad news through an X-ray: Maliha had miscarried. Miscarriages in cats are not uncommon, with estimates suggesting that about 25% of cat pregnancies may end this way, according to Vet Explains Pets.
Following this, Moore arranged for Maliha to be spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, and tested for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV). The tests revealed that Maliha was positive for FeLV, a virus specific to cats that cannot be transmitted to humans. Despite this diagnosis, Moore emphasized that cats with FeLV can live many years without severe symptoms, and a positive test result is not a death sentence.
Further tests were conducted to determine if Maliha had a progressive or regressive strain of FeLV. The outcome could affect her future interactions with other cats, as the progressive strain can be transmitted through saliva and shared food bowls, while the regressive type typically does not spread.
Despite these challenges, Maliha is receiving plenty of love, belly rubs, and attention as she waits for her forever home. Moore remains hopeful and positive about Maliha’s future.
The story of Maliha’s journey and resilience has touched many hearts online, with a TikTok video documenting her story garnering over 12,900 views, 1,090 likes, and numerous supportive comments.
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