The kitten lay trembling by the roadside, too weak to lift its head. Mulan knelt beside it, her heart catching at the sight of its shallow breaths.
The little creature’s eyes barely flickered. Its frail body, matted with dirt, seemed to fade into the dusk. Mulan’s hands shook as she scooped it up, feeling the weight of its fragility.
She whispered softly, hoping her voice might tether it to life. The kitten’s faint response—a twitch of an ear—felt like a plea.
She walked fast, cradling the kitten against her chest. The city blurred around her. Cars honked, lights flashed, but all she saw was the tiny life in her arms. At the clinic, the veterinarian’s face grew serious.
The kitten, a rare Munchkin, was only two months old, starving and frail. Mulan sat for hours, watching fluids drip into its tiny veins. She prayed silently, her fingers brushing its soft fur.
A Spark of Hope
The kitten, named Domi, began to stir. Its eyes, once dull, caught a glint of light. Mulan watched it lap at glucose, each swallow a small victory.
She wondered what Domi had endured in the dark, alone, before she found it. The thought tightened her chest.
Back home, Domi devoured food with a hunger that spoke of days without. Mulan smiled, stroking its tiny head. She saw the scars—blotches on its nose, a missing patch of skin above its lip
Each mark told a story of survival. Domi’s breathing was still quick, but Mulan kept an oxygen tank close, ready for the long nights.
She sat up with Domi, the kitten curled against her. It felt like caring for a child. Mulan, who had never been a mother, felt the weight of it—love mixed with worry.
Domi’s small warmth against her hand was enough to keep her there, hour after hour.
A Slow Healing
Domi’s fight wasn’t over. The veterinarian found pneumonia in its tiny lungs. Mulan drove her scooter through rain and sun, taking Domi for daily treatments.
Nebulizers hummed, easing the kitten’s breaths. Mulan watched Domi’s chest rise and fall more steadily, her hope growing with each visit.
One day, Domi rolled onto its back, paws in the air, letting Mulan rub its belly. She laughed, her heart lifting. But then she noticed its swollen stomach.
Fear crept back. At the clinic, the veterinarian reassured her—Domi’s lungs were clearing, its belly full of food, not fluid. Mulan exhaled, relief washing over her like a warm tide.
Domi gained weight, a hundred grams in days. It played with a feather toy, batting it with newfound energy. Mulan bought a tiny bed, and Domi claimed it, curling up tight.
She wondered if the kitten missed its mother, if it dreamed of her in those quiet moments. Mulan whispered to it, “I’m your mother now.”
A New Beginning
Domi’s tail was broken, its tip falling off one day. Mulan winced, imagining the pain it must have endured. She applied salve for ringworm, careful not to hurt the kitten further.
Domi cooperated, as if it knew help was near. Its eyes, once clouded, now sparkled with trust.
Mulan saw Domi grow stronger, its fur softer, its steps surer. It chased toys, slept clutching them, and drank milk with gusto. Mulan’s heart warmed at the sight.
She thought of her own life—quiet, steady, sometimes lonely. Domi had changed that. She hadn’t just saved the kitten; it had saved her, too.
One evening, as Domi basked in a patch of sunlight, Mulan watched it breathe easily. The oxygen tank sat unused. Domi’s weight climbed to 1.25 kilograms, a milestone.
The veterinarian said injections could stop soon, just medicine now. Mulan smiled, calling Domi her “little princess.” She promised it a life of love, toys, and canned food.
On the way home, Mulan saw another stray, wary and quick to flee. She left treats behind, her connection to cats deepening since Domi.
She thought of the kitten’s past—cold nights, hunger, fear. Now, Domi had a home, a bed, a mother. It wasn’t the whole world, but it was Domi’s world, transformed.
The kitten still had moments of melancholy, its gaze distant. Mulan wondered if it remembered its mother. She spoke softly,
“You’re safe now. Be a happy cat.” Domi purred, nestling closer. Mulan felt the quiet dignity of their bond, the way they’d both been seen, both been saved.
This story was inspired by a quiet, touching video you can watch here. If it moved you, feel free to support the original creator.