They are not the unlikeliest pairing out there, but they are turning heads. A momma cat named Satin in a Meriden, Connecticut animal shelter has taken in a six day old Rottweiler puppy as part of her litter.
Momma cat Satin is a domestic short-haired who recently gave birth to four kittens at the Meriden Humane Society. She was surrendered by an owner who was unable to care for her.
Puppy Charlie’s story is equally sad. His mother was found on the side of the road in Meriden, Connecticut a few months ago. Once in the shelter, she gave birth to two puppies, but only Charlie survived; the other puppy was stillborn. His mother refused to accept or feed him, and Charlie was in trouble. Shelter volunteers stepped up to the plate to bottle-feed the poor abandoned puppy every two hours, but the schedule was grueling. And Charlie wasn’t getting as much food as he wanted or needed.
Based on other stories of mothers taking in babies of another species, the Meriden Humane Society introduced Charlie the Rottweiler to Satin and her four kittens. It didn’t take long for the feline family to accept the newcomer. The kittens now treat the puppy like he’s part of the family, and they all nurse together.
The family dynamic may change as Charlie grows; male Rotties can tip the scales at more than a hundred pounds when fully grown. And the shelter would like to see Charlie have some puppies to pal around with. Life in a canine litter is an important start to creating a well-socialized dog. With his fellow puppies, Charlie would learn to play and explore. A puppy’s focus is mostly on his mother for the first four weeks of life; after that, the weaning begins. Read more about a puppy’s progress through life and socialization.