By Alyce CollinsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA woman who saved two Bengal cats from a backyard breeder was given the surprise of a lifetime when she learned the true extent of their health concerns.
Hannah first became aware of the backyard breeder in February 2025, when a male cat wandered to her family’s home. The cat was chipped and she was able to return the male Bengal to its owner within days – leading to a shocking discovery.
Hannah, from the U.K, told Newsweek that her “heart sank” when she arrived at the property and saw several cats living in cramped and squalid outdoor enclosures.
Hannah said: “I was led out to the garden, which confused me a little until I saw cat enclosures without bedding or warmth. They smelled awful, and the cats were huddled together all sharing one litter tray. I was told they do not breed anymore and that I could take a female at no cost if I wanted, which confused me (but I would soon find out why).”
...Initially, Hannah was reluctant to take any cats, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the terrible conditions they were living in, so she went back to adopt one of the females.
When she arrived to pick up the cat now named Ruby, the owner informed Hannah that she could also take the cat’s daughter, Roxy. She took them both and planned to find them safe and loving homes.
In the following days, Ruby, around 1 year old, started sneezing blood. Hannah rushed her to a vet and was informed that she likely had cat flu (due to the poor living conditions she’d been accustomed to). Ruby was given a full examination, and that’s when the vet discovered that she was pregnant – and due in a couple of weeks.
“My heart dropped knowing I couldn’t pass her onto someone else and I needed to look after her to get her back to health,” Hannah said. “It would have been her second litter, and we were told she could give birth in the next two to three weeks. Her sneezing blood cleared up, she was eating well, and I started to buy everything she needed for a comfortable birth.”
The ordeal didn’t end there however, as Roxy also became ill. She wasn’t eating, her stomach looked swollen, and Hannah noticed blood in her urine. Vets tried multiple medications and treatments, but Roxy was getting worse as the days progressed.
When Hannah started Googling the symptoms, she kept coming across Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). It’s a severe viral disease caused by a mutation of feline coronavirus.
“We went back to the vets, and they told us that, if it was FIP, it’s fatal and Roxy only had about two weeks left to live. They also wouldn’t treat a cat with FIP because it can cost around £4,000 ($5250) for 84 days of medication.”
Roxy was given an ultrasound to confirm that she did indeed have free fluid in her stomach (an indication of FIP), but at the age of just 7 months, she was also heavily pregnant. Vets warned Hannah that Roxy probably wouldn’t survive the birth and it was “best to put her down.”
It was devastating for Hannah to hear, and she took the cat home to ponder her options.
She searched online for advice, and as a result, came across Facebook groups with other people who had treated their cat for FIP. She was able to connect with someone who had spare medication that would at least buy Roxy a few more days.
Hannah took the offer without hesitation, and within a day of her first dose, Roxy was improving already. During that time, Hannah was able to find a vet who was willing to treat Roxy.
“Our only hope was to strengthen her up and pray we had time before she gave birth,” Hannah told Newsweek.
Roxy gave birth to one tiny kitten in March, and although she struggled to nurture it, Ruby stepped in to help. Hannah marveled at how Ruby cared for the kitten so naturally, allowing him to suckle while Roxy rested.
Just days later, Ruby delivered three healthy kittens and found herself nursing all four of the new additions. Roxy was able to “learn the ropes” from her mom and helped clean the kittens and kept them cozy.
...Roxy has now completed her medication, and her health has improved dramatically.
As for the kittens, Hannah decided to keep one from each litter, named Sylvester and Bootsie. The other two were adopted by close friends who love sharing regular updates. Hannah documented their journey on TikTok (@houseofbengalsss), and a clip showing how far Roxy and Ruby have come went viral with over 322,500 views and 41,400 likes at the time of writing.
Hannah said: “All the kittens are now neutered, and the girls were spayed as soon as the kittens were weaned and they are all spoiled, happy and they are so gentle and loving. "We could never be without them and are so grateful to have them now forever. "
“It was extremely sad seeing their previous living conditions and I have no doubt they would have all passed by now. Some people may not know how pets should be looked after, and to those people I ask please surrender them to others that will be able to give them the love and care they need.”
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