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By Maria Azzurra Volpe
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When a heavily pregnant stray cat approached a veterinarian in a car park, there was only one thing the professional could do.
Rana, 29, from Lebanon, was getting into her vehicle when the white and gray cat walked over, looking as though she was asking for help. So of course the vet was only happy to oblige.
Sharing her story on TikTok earlier in July, under the username @giddykittykat, a caption explains: "As I was getting into my car. A very pregnant kitty approached me. She was too big... Her due date was near! I couldn't just leave her. She wouldn't stop making biscuits. You're safe now!"
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In a later update, the poster explained that the cat, who was later named Buscuits because she was constantly kneading her paws—also known as making biscuits—safely gave birth to a litter of six kittens. And so far, she hasn't stopped making biscuits.
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Rana told Newsweek that she feeds stray cats daily, and mainly distributes food in her parking lot because it's the safest place around, so cats from all over the neighborhood regularly visit her to get their meals.
"I guess word spread between the cats, and to my surprise a new mama kitty approached me! She was so big, knew her due date was very soon. Capturing her was so easy, I just opened the cage and she just went right in," she said.
After she managed to capture her, the cat didn't give birth immediately, but thankfully, because the poster is a veterinarian, she was able to give her all the assistance she needed. Buscuit and her kittens are all safe and well.
"She's an incredibly sweet, affectionate kitty. And is always making biscuits... That's why the TikTok community named her Buscuit! She's very protective of her babies and rarely leaves them alone, even if she's hungry. I have to bring food close to her head while she feeds them, and as much as she trusts me, she just lets me pet them under her supervision."
Rana added that the kittens are currently too young to leave their mom so at the moment they're all still together under her supervision.
"I hope my video encourages people to give stray cats a chance," Rana said. "They're genuinely the sweetest cats! And if I can do it, anyone can. It just needs a little bit of love and effort."
As a veterinarian, the poster knew exactly what to do when she found Buscuit in need of help, but what can you do if you're not a vet and a pregnant stray cat comes to you for a helping hand?
Stray Cat Advice advised that the best thing you can do is give her enough food, lots of small meals each day, and find a private and quiet place for her to peacefully give birth without any interference.
In the days before the birth, you should minimize human contact while keeping an eye on the proceedings, and avoid interfering with things if they are going smoothly.
"Post-delivery, if all seems well with the cat and her kittens, leave things to progress naturally," the website added.
Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet "Shelter Watch Report" found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Rana's video quickly went viral on social media. It has so far received over 7.1 million views and 1.3 million likes on TikTok.
One user, Phillycheese2994, commented: "SHE KNEW YOU WERE A SAFE SPOT FOR HER BABIES."
Marie ash said: "Oh my heart she's still a baby herself thank you for not leaving her."
Nia wrote: "The way I instantly cried thank you so much for being such a wonderful human being."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Update 07/26/24, 11:04 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with quotes from the poster.
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