A female rusty-spotted cat, considered one of the world’s smallest and rarest wild cat species, has undergone a rare life-saving surgery in Mumbai after suffering severe injuries. Pics/Special Arrangement (Story/Ranjeet Jadhav)
Updated On: 2026-05-22 11:38 PM IST
Compiled by : Asif Ali Sayed
According to wildlife officials, the animal was found with serious facial injuries, suspected to have been caused by a collision with a hard object
The cat, weighing less than 900 grams, was brought to a wildlife veterinary facility associated with RAWW in critical condition. Doctors found active nose bleeding along with fractures to both the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible)
Veterinarians described the case as extremely delicate due to the tiny size of the animal and the complexity of the fractures
A specialised team of wildlife veterinarians led by Dr Rina Dev carried out a complex orthopaedic surgery that lasted nearly two hours
The operation involved carefully fixing the fractured bones and stabilising the animal’s condition in an effort to save its life
