In the upstate New York town of Geneseo, a cute story of adoption unfolded when a Doberman Pinscher named Ruby began nursing a newborn kitten along with her six puppies. The kitten’s mother was nowhere to be found.
Brittany Callan, Ruby’s owner, breeds Dobermans on her family’s farm. Known for their role as consummate guard dogs, it was a surprise when Ruby showed maternal instincts towards a lost kitten. Ruby had recently given birth to a litter of puppies.
The bay cat, named Ramblin’ Rose, has now settled in with Ruby’s brood for feedings. Ruby has shown remarkable compassion in accommodating the abandoned kitten. “[Ruby] took right to her and didn’t seem to mind at all,” Callan told Daily Paws. “She grew up with small animals and learned to be gentle, often licking them and being friendly with everything. She’s just an extremely compassionate dog.”
Callan believes Ruby’s maternal instinct is extraordinary. “She was meant to be a mother to anything,” Callan explained. “We’ve had baby bunnies, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks… Ruby treats them all with care, as if she were their mother.”
Like a protective mother, Ruby has been taking special care of Ramblin’ Rose, carrying the kitten away from her puppies by the scruff of her neck when their play gets too rough.
With Ruby’s loving care and kitten formula provided by Callan, Ramblin’ Rose’s weight has increased from 4.37 ounces (about 124 grams) to 7.27 ounces (about 206 grams) in just a week. With all the extra love and care she’s receiving, Ramblin’ Rose is thriving in her unusual new family.