Being raised by three huskies caused a surprising result

The kitten, adopted from the streets, was fostered by a husky foster mother and her two husky brothers, with unexpected consequences. Their owner shared videos of the extraordinary team.

The kitten was found by her owner, Thoa Bui, and her two sisters on a walk in California’s South Bay. Only a few weeks old at the time, the kitten was very poorly looking, skinny and scared. The woman, an experienced animal rescuer, knew right away that she wasn’t dealing with a stray pet or a baby that had wandered away from its mother. So there was no question of bringing it home with them – and their three Siberian huskies. The cat has picked up some surprising habits as a result of the special upbringing they have given.

She could not eat

Although the woman has raised several kittens in her life, she was not able to cope with the kitten she named Rosie. The kitten was not eating and was completely lethargic. Thoa also contacted a professional animal rescuer, but even he failed to get the baby to suckle. It was suspected that bottle-feeding failed because of premature weaning, which caused the cat’s bad mood as well.

That’s when the new owner had a life-saving idea: she invited her female husky, Lilo, to join Rosie and hoped that her calculations would work.

Strong maternal instincts

Fortunately, the dog’s strong instincts kicked in immediately and she turned to the orphaned kitten with complete devotion. She let her find shelter with her, protecting and warming the tiny kitten. Soon she was so relaxed by the proximity of the other animal that she even tried to suckle. This made it clear to their owner that she had made the right decision.

The cat soon got used to the bottle and her mood improved day by day. Lilo proved to be a dedicated and tireless surrogate mother, while the two other huskies – Miko and Infinity – acted as brother and sister to the kitten. They also immediately accepted their new companion, never having a problem with Rosie being a cat. So much so that, over time, this claim has been called into question.

Here’s how Lilo looked after the cat:

Dog habits

As Rosie grew up, she learned more and more from her husky friends. She ate and drank with them from the same plate, they played and rested together. An unexpected realisation led her to join them on their walks.

Thoa noticed that the cat seemed to get sad every time she took the huskies for a walk. She concluded that she might not want to miss out on the program either. Although she had reservations about the experiment – and was convinced that the people would laugh at her for it – but she bought a collar and a leash for Rosie, and tried them out the next time.

And behold! Rosie marched happily among the dogs as if it was the most natural thing in the world. So walking has become part of her daily routine, which not only makes her happy, but the dogs too. (We assume that the locals have got used to, and even liked, the odd team.)

Rosie and the huskies do everything together, as the video below shows:

Dogs/cats

Because she has several cats besides Rosie, the effect of the huskies is somewhat offset by the other cats. All this has turned the initially shy little thing into a brave and curious animal who loves adventure – like a real dog; while her cuddly and charming nature is a clear sign of cuteness. A great combination!

The story is also proof of how good relationship can develop between dogs and cats which, apart from the animals’ habits, is mainly a matter of education and habituation.