Hamdan Shibli is an 18 year-old young man who resides in the Middle Eastern nation of Israel. He was headed to his job on a normal day just like any other when he spotted something a bit out of the ordinary. He was walking on a dirt road when his eyes happened upon a group of extremely small kittens. These three young animals were extremely frightened and crowded together for comfort. The teenager tried to quickly locate the wee kittens’ mother. His attempt was unsuccessful, however. That’s when he took it upon himself to get the little ones away from the road.
Shibli discovered something not too long after transferring the little bundles of joy to their new location, however. These babies were in no way standard domestic kittens that are found practically everywhere. They were something a little more unique than that. Shibli chose to put them in bushes so they could await their mother’s return in a safe and secure spot away from prying eyes.
Shibli posted photographs of the adorable kittens on the Internet soon after his encounter with them. That’s when it dawned on him that they were far from ordinary house cats. The kittens were jungle cats. Jungle cats are big wild cats that hail from the Asian continent. Once Shibli had the major epiphany, he quickly went back to the location he last saw them. They were all still there. The little kittens at that point had become extremely feeble. Mama cat hadn’t yet come back to care for them, unfortunately. The kittens were in poor condition. Their delicate little bodies were full of ticks, which are bloodsucking arachnids. Shibli opted to put the poor little creatures inside of a basket and to seek assistance for them.
Sadly, not all of them survived. One kitten’s condition had deteriorated so dramatically that he quickly passed away. The remaining two kittens, however, had the potential to get through this situation. The two kittens were sent to a hospital that specialized in wild animals. They were provided with treatment at that location. Professionals at the hospital determined that the little ones were male. They were five weeks in age or less at that point. Workers at the hospital provided the struggling youngsters with essential vitamins and fluids. They also provided them with a milk replacer formula that could give them the same exact health benefits their mother’s milk could offer. Young kittens of all species need their mother’s milk (or a nutritional replacement of it) in order to thrive and grow into healthy and active adult cats.
The hospital’s staff members worked hard to get the little kittens to gain weight. They were still extremely small. They wanted to do everything they could to prepare them for life back in their natural wild settings. They just wanted to make sure that the little cuties were 100 percent prepared to be out on their own in their home habitats.
The kittens, with a little time, gained the ability to successfully consume solid foods. Things seemed to be getting a lot better for them. They adored eating.
The veterinary professionals working on the kittens want them to be able to live outdoors independently and happily. Although jungle cats aren’t considered to be an endangered species, Israel is home to a relatively small number of them. There are approximately 600 jungle cats in the nation in total. That’s why it’s crucial for these adorable creatures to get healthy and get back home.
Young Shibli should be commended for his quick thinking and efforts. He saved these young jungle cats’ lives!