While running errands, Maci Raney heard something strange in the Tractor Supply store parking lot.
She turned around after hearing a little meow and saw a tabby cat hiding under a row of bushes. She went over to the kitten because the mother cat was nowhere to be seen.
“I called her, and she immediately ran to me. I don’t know if that was the universe telling her that I was there to rescue her.” Raney said in a TikTok video.
Raney took the kitten in her arms and drove her to safety. As soon as she held the kitten, it immediately fell asleep.
“She was covered in fleas, eyes matted, dirt all in her hair, and we suspected tapeworms, which was later confirmed,” Raney said.
The kitten, eventually named Biscuit, was taken home by Raney, who immediately gave her a flea cleaning and began treating her ear and eye infections in advance of a scheduled clinic visit. Additionally, Biscuit got to meet her all-new family members, including two dogs, cats, chickens, and ducks; She blended well in with the group.
The following day, Raney returned to Tractor Supply to make sure she hadn't overlooked any of Biscuit's siblings. “That’s where she was, over there. I looked all up and down the tree line, I called for mama, I called for kittens, I looked … no kittens whatsoever.” Raney said in the video.
After only two days with Raney, Biscuit looked like an entirely different kitty after receiving a second flea cleaning and a couple applications of eye ointment.
“She’s so playful, she’s so sweet,” Raney said.
Raney, however, received some distressing news on the day of Biscuit's consultation with the veterinarian: the kitten had feline leukemia (FeLV) upon testing.
FeLV is an immune system-damaging illness that causes death in cats. It spreads to other cats by saliva and has the potential to cause anemia or cancer. One of the essential vaccinations that kittens receive on their first visit to the clinic is the FeLV vaccine.
Because the illness is contagious, Biscuit had to be kept away from other cats, despite the fact that they were all vaccinated.
“I had planned on keeping her, but us living in a camper and me having three other cats, that’s just not going to be possible, and I want to give her the best life she possibly can have.” the woman said.
However, after doing some research and seeking advice from others who have been in her position, Raney learned that it's possible to receive a false-positive FeLV test result, particularly when a very young kitten is being tested.
Since Biscuit was only 3 or 4 weeks old, the positive test result might have been caused by antibodies left over from her mother.
And indeed, that is what it was. After receiving a negative FeLV PCR blood test result at her follow-up visit, Biscuit was able to spend the rest of her days with Raney's family.
Raney said that Biscuit has adapted to her new life with ease and that she likes being a farm cat.
“She loves to go outside and ‘help’ me with all of the chicken chores. She loves to play in the chicken coop with the rabbits.” Raney said.
“Her best friend is her big sister Lola (she’s a 3-year-old shorthair cat),” Raney added, “[and] she also loves to go on car rides with us when we ride around on the country roads.”
“But her favorite thing is definitely being outside with all her animal brothers and sisters”.