Kittens that were saved from the street grew to love a sweet dog and thought he was their “mother.”
When they were about three weeks old, four kittens were found living on the street. Laura, who was a volunteer foster parent, stepped up to help and took them in. “They were thought to belong to a feral mother, but there was no mother in sight,” Laura told Love Meow.
Raylan, one of the dogs who live with her, has a soft spot for kittens in trouble and has helped many of them. He was always ready to give the group the warmest welcome when the four of them showed up.
“At first, the kittens were quite nervous of Raylan, but then they quickly realized they loved when he licked them and cleaned them like a mother cat.”
Every time a new kitten comes in the door, the dog is very kind to it. Even the shyest child can’t get away from his love, and it gives them courage. “Raylan was rescued from a shelter where he was going to be euthanized at two years old,” Laura shared with Love Meow.
“Originally, he was my foster dog, but nobody wanted him and I ended up falling in love. I quickly realized he was very gentle and loving with small animals, so I started fostering kittens instead, and the rest is history.”
Raylan feels a sense of duty and purpose whenever he is surrounded by a group. As soon as he heard the names Benny, Bjorn, Anni-Frid, and Agnetha, his parental instincts kicked in.
The kittens liked the sweet dog more and more as he gave them baths and lots of love, just like a mother would. “They were just starting to eat solid food and their coordination was poor—the perfect age for Raylan to help keep them clean.”
When Raylan licked the kittens’ faces after every meal and let them cuddle up to his belly, the kittens were on cloud nine. When he came in the morning, they ran to him and followed him like ducklings in a row. “They tried to follow him everywhere and do what he did because they looked up to him so much.”
They were always purring and trying to get his attention so he would pick them up and carry them around like a mother cat. They climbed all over him until they found a place to sleep.
“Raylan likes to bring the kittens to his bed or the couch for proper bathing, and they will line up hoping to get a ride. He’s incredibly gentle.”
These kittens didn’t look like they could sleep on beds or couches. They liked to sleep better when they were close to Raylan.
The sweet dog took care of these little strays and turned them into wild young cats. He knew it was time to let them fly when they started running around the house and getting into all kinds of trouble.
Raylan was so proud when the kitten siblings left foster care and went to their forever homes. He was also glad to take a break.
After a few weeks, he went right back to taking care of kittens and helping those who needed his love.
Benny, Bjorn, Anni-Frid, and Agnetha have grown into beautiful, happy indoor cats. They learned how to love and care for each other thanks to Raylan, and now they are living happily ever after.
Watch this cute video of Raylan and his foster kittens:
