Mama Cat Adopts Baby Rottweiler

Nursing Days-Old Puppy Along With Her Own Kittens

(AP)  Who says cats and dogs don't get along?

Workers at the Meriden Humane Society are marveling at a short-haired mother cat who has willingly adopted a six-day-old Rottweiler puppy that was rejected by its mother.

The tiny pup, named Charlie by Humane Society volunteers, nurses alongside a jumble of black and gray kittens recently born to Satin, who was surrendered to the shelter by an owner unable to care for her.

Charlie's mother was found by the side of the road in Meriden a couple of months ago. She gave birth to two puppies, but one was stillborn. As sometimes happens with a stillborn in the litter, the mother dog refused to accept Charlie.

Volunteers bottle-fed him every two hours, but the effort was both exhausting to humans and insufficient for the puppy, who needs to feed when he wants, said volunteer Chris Chorney.

Research indicated that a suitable substitute could be Satin, who had given birth to four kittens that have quickly warmed to Charlie.

"The kittens scrum up with him and the kittens treat him like one of their own," Chorney said. "There's a certain social benefit of small animals being with each other."

The cat-and-dog relationship is not all that unusual in certain circumstances, said Deirdre Chiaramonte, a veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center, a specialty teaching hospital in New York.

"In those types of situations, it's common," she said.

The cozy arrangement between Charlie, Satin and the kittens will likely changes as the pup grows. Full-grown male Rottweilers commonly weigh 100 pounds.

Volunteers are hoping that dog owners will volunteer their puppies to be Charlie's playmates.

"Dogs need to be with a litter of puppies, to learn to play with other dogs," Chorney said. "He has to learn to be a well-socialized dog."

[foxyheart]

Can someone please call dibs on Satin? What a wonderful mama kitty. Black moms are hard to adopt out. But I have a rescue and the most personable kitties are the blacks. They are always so sweet and are the easiest to teach to fetch. I am overloaded on kitties so I cannot take her in, but please someone give her a chance, please.

[gmond]

Dibs on Charlie

[puzzler125]

I have another suggestion. Do as I have done...I have no children and am leaving a percentage of my estate to the ASPCA for spaying and neutering of pets, especially for those who may be able to afford the other routine care but find the cost of altering their pet or a future pet cost prohibitive.

[danchamp2]

There is video of this at www.myrecordjournal.com Just click on the video section and on Puppy LOve

[mswolfestock]

This is a great story, but please, everybody, there is a huge lesson here. ALL cats and dogs that we keep as a part of our families should be spayed or neutered. While I'm glad this abandoned animal story had a happy ending, the reality in millions of other stories is heartbreaking. Please, spay or neuter your pets. Create your own heartwarming story - it's as close as your local animal shelter. Volunteer your time if you can't adopt a pet yourself - I promise that you'll feel like a million dollars if you help an animal. They will pay you back a million times over with their love and gratitude. One of the best ways to make human friends is working with animals, too. Trust me, the humans at the shelter will love you for life, too - just offer yourself as a kind human and all the rest will fall into place. If you care for an animal that needs your help, I promise you'll be a better person.

[ajaxrose1]

I love this story! It's nice to get some sweet news like this! More, please!

[newday7-2009]

This is great!!!

[delsamrott]

i'll adopt charlie when he's ready!

[jimbo505]

this is a great story

[sidkeith7]

If cats and dogs can get on this well with each other, WHY CAN'T WE?

[legendary240]

I'd be happy if this kind of stuff was all we had to read. There's plenty of good news to tell out there.

[bigwhtpony]

OMG....what did Bill Murray say in Ghost Busters about the world coming to and end when cats and dogs....!?!?!? :) This is a great story! Thanks CBS!

[luvny-2009]

That's awesome, kinda wish I had the pup..Charlie is so cute

[bluestardad]

This is so cute!