A newborn puppy was introduced to a mama cat. Watch mama cat’s reaction

Stories of interspecies adoptions abound. According to Jenny Holland, author of Unlikely Friendships, these adoptions occur frequently in domestic animals and occasionally in the wild, too.

But what would motivate a cat to adopt a puppy?

“I wish I could crawl into these animals’ minds and ask! But we can make some educated guesses based on what we know about animal brains — and our own,” said Holland, a National Geographic contributing writer.

Animals instinctively take care of their own young, and when a mother sees a baby animal in need, she naturally will want to take care of it, too. Instinct tells the momma to nurture the baby so that the DNA will be passed on.

Maybe the wires have gotten a little crossed, but the motivation surely comes from the same place.

Jill Goldman, an applied animal behaviorist from California opines that mutual benefit is another powerful motivator, although the benefit for a cat of adopting a puppy is unclear.

“How we define benefit is another matter. Social companionship in some cases may actually be enough of a benefit, so long as it is not outweighed by competition [or] threat,” said Goldman.

Whatever the reason, this cat seems perfectly happy to welcome the puppy into the family. Watching the video will remind you that love supersedes differences. Perhaps we could learn something from the cat’s instant acceptance of her adopted family member! Watch the video, and decide what you think.