“RUN SLOW, SHADOW!” A disabled, homeless kitten on wheels won the hearts of Internet users after being rescued by the Animal Kingdom Foundation in Mendiola, Manila, November 8, 2023. Photo: courtesy of Animal Kingdom Foundation/Facebook
Cien, a disabled stray kitten who went viral on the Internet after being rescued and cared for by compassionate people at Centro Escolar University (CEU) in Mendiola, Manila, has died.
On Sunday, November 19, the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) shared heartbreaking news on its Facebook page, revealing that Cien’s death came just days after it was discovered that the kitten had suffered a spinal injury.
According to AKF, Cien was rescued on November 8 thanks to the help of concerned CEU students. At the time of the rescue, the kitten was in an improvised wheelchair made by the school’s maintenance staff, identified as “Kuya Glenn.”
The makeshift device, consisting of a disposable food container and four bottle caps in the form of wheels, enabled Cien to move and walk.
“She relied on the kindness of students and school staff to survive. She wouldn’t have survived this long if no one had [had given] her food. The improvised wheels helped her move a lot,” AKF wrote in one of her posts.
AKF transported Cien to the Vets on the Block animal clinic in Quezon City, where the kitten underwent tests and evaluations, followed by further checkups with an orthodontic specialist in Marikina City.
However, later test results showed that the kitten’s spinal injury had led to paralysis of its lower body, affecting its ability to voluntarily urinate and defecate. Veterinarians also discovered that Cien had developed megacolon, causing her intestines to dilate abnormally and making it difficult to pass stool normally.
In a separate post, AKF expressed gratitude to CEU staff and students, as well as those who provided Cien with care and food during her lifetime.
“Thank you to everyone who prayed for Cien, to those who sent help, to those who cared for her while she could not be saved,” AKF wrote.
“Shadow was a sweetheart. We know she was happy. Thank you for your sympathy,” they added.
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