Cat With Special Needs Falls in Love With Pregnant Chihuahua in Foster Home

A unique friendship between a resilient cat and pregnant Chihuahua has captured hearts after their relationship blossomed in their temporary foster home.

The cat, lovingly dubbed Manx for the Memories, and Chloe, a pregnant Chihuahua, have become the talk of the town thanks to their strong bond nurtured under the care of Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) in Texas.

Their journey began when Manx entered foster care under the watchful eye of Halle Hamilton, the senior manager of APA!'s cat program. Despite facing challenges due to a congenital condition causing incontinence, Manx welcomed other foster pets into his temporary abode with open paws.

When Hamilton introduced Chloe, a pregnant Chihuahua in need of a foster home, Manx's world transformed.

"My goal was for them to bond with each other before Chloe gave birth so she would feel comfortable having him around her puppies," Hamilton told Newsweek.

Incredibly, the bond between the two was instantaneous, with Manx assuming the role of guardian and companion to Chloe and her impending litter.

"Manx quickly became obsessed with Chloe, and the feeling was mutual," Luis Sanchez from APA! said. "They groom each other, cuddle, take naps, and even share treats."

When Chloe went into labor, Manx remained vigilant, jumping in and out of the whelping pen to make sure his friend was safe.

"Now, Chloe and her babies have the ultimate guardian, and we can't wait to continue watching their story unfold," Sanchez said.

Reflecting on their journey, Sanchez emphasized the invaluable role of APA!'s lifesaving programs in bringing Manx and Chloe together.

Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.

"If it weren't for Austin Pets Alive!'s lifesaving programs, these two would have faced a grim fate for no fault of their own," Sanchez said. "Incontinent cats like Manx and puppies like Chloe's litter are at risk of euthanasia every day at under-resourced shelters across the country."

The heartwarming tale garnered attention on social media, with APA! sharing a video of Manx and Chloe's adorable bond on Instagram.

"Adorable. What a great fostering story," said one commenter on the Instagram post, while another wrote: "Well if that's not the cutest dang thing I've ever seen!"

The pair spend a great deal of time together most days. Hamilton explained: "Chloe clearly has a lot of puppy raising to do, but she loves to take a break from the puppies, eat Manx's food and share some lap time with him."

In a few short weeks, Chloe and her puppies will be ready for adoption, while Manx eagerly awaits his chance to find a loving forever family.

While they can be adopted apart, Hamilton is hoping that someone might want to keep them together: "We sincerely hope someone will fall in love with their story and want to keep them together. Forever."

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Update 02/15/2024, 3:45 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional comment from Halle Hamilton.