Heartbroken Kitten Wouldn’t Even Eat — Until She Met This Dog

At just 2 weeks old, it seemed the tiny, frail kitten had already given up on life. Found alone on the streets of San Jose, California, the kitten was brought to Thoa Bui, a woman who had rescued animals in the past.

But for all of Bui's efforts, the kitten, named Rosie, wasn't eating. Or responding much to anything at all.

"When Rosie came our way, we tried to take care of her," Bui tells The Dodo. "Nothing we did was working."

Until one of Bui's dogs, a husky named Lilo, got involved. Lilo took the kitten under her paw. Literally.

Instagram/lilothehusky

And little by little, the dewy-eyed kitten awakened to her new world - a world where motherhood isn't bound by species.

"She started feeding after a couple hours of just cuddling," Bui recalls.

Instagram/lilothehusky

A year and a half after that vital bond was forged, Lilo and Rosie still refuse to let anything come between them.

"When they're sleeping at night in my sister's room, they can't not be touching," Bui says. "It's hilarious."

Instagram/lilothehusky

In fact, being mothered by a Siberian husky has left an indelible impression on Rosie. Now that she's all grown up, she may even have a bit of an identity crisis.

Instagram/lilothehusky

Indeed, Rosie noticed her surrogate mother would go outside to pee. So she started taking her bathroom business outside too. Rosie also started demanding to be leashed on walks.

Rosie even bonded with Bui's other pets, finding a sister in Infinity and a brother in Miko.

Instagram/lilothehusky

"She definitely has her catlike features because she has other cats living in the house that are her friends as well," Bui explains. "But I think she knows deep down inside that she was raised by a husky. And she takes on so many of those features. She thinks she's more a dog than anything."

Instagram/lilothehusky

"Lilo also mentors her," Bui adds. "She gives her a lot of courage.

Instagram/lilothehusky

You might forgive Rosie for fancying herself a dog. After all, when all the human kindness in the world couldn't substitute for mother's love, a dog stepped up. And that dog has been by her side ever since.

Instagram/lilothehusky

You can follow the ongoing adventures of Lilo and Rosie on their Facebook page as well as on Twitter.

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