After being bullied in the first half and outfought for much of the second half Cardiff managed to salvage a point when substitute Rudy Gestede headed a 93rd minute equaliser.
Leicester had taken the lead with 18 mins to go from Michael Keane's header. That came a minute after the loanee from Man Utd had hit the post.
It looked like being a frustrating night for Cardiff as they stuttered and failed to find any sort of flowing football. Too many loose passes and poor touches combined with a lack of real threat going forward made it uncomfortable to watch.
Leicester were hard in the challenge early on and seemed quicker to the ball and more dangerous when they broke which was frustrating when you consider they had the worst form of the top six sides.
But Cardiff did plug away, especially after going a goal down, and overcame the niggly time-wasting from the visitors and super sub Gestede won a point when it looked like being a barren night for the Bluebirds.
Malky made two subs at half time. Mark Hudson was replaced by Kevin McNaughton after the skipper took a knock in the first half and Craig Bellamy replaced Craig Noone. Rudy came on late in the game for Craig Conway as City went more direct (which with Rudy up front is a threat - more than when long hopeful balls were sent forward earlier in the game).
The point sees City move 4 points clear of Hull in 2nd and 6 points clear of Watford in 3rd with a game in hand on both of them.
That's no win in the last three home games for Cardiff. The next two games are away starting with a trip to Hillsbrough to face Dave Jones' Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.