A mother’s love knows no limits, and Ruby, a devoted Doberman Pinscher, is proving that this love extends beyond her own species.
Just a week after giving birth to a litter of six puppies, Ruby welcomed an abandoned newborn kitten into her care, treating the tiny feline as if it were one of her own. The heartwarming story of Ruby’s instinctive compassion has touched many.
Ruby, a four-and-a-half-year-old Doberman, belongs to Brittany Callan from Geneseo, who owns six Dobermans in total. Ruby recently delivered a healthy litter of six puppies, but that number soon grew to seven when Brittany made an unexpected discovery while helping her aunt clean the gutters.
Brittany stumbled upon a newborn kitten, seemingly abandoned by its mother. Brittany and her cousin, Nicole Gibbs, waited to see if the kitten’s mother would return, but when they heard coyotes nearby, they decided to bring the tiny kitten indoors. Nicole named the kitten Ramblin’ Rose, after her late father’s favorite song.
Ramblin’ Rose was incredibly fragile, with part of her dried umbilical cord still attached, suggesting she was only a few days old. Knowing the kitten desperately needed milk to survive, Brittany saw a unique opportunity. Ruby, just a few days into nursing her own puppies, had plenty of milk to offer.
Brittany gently introduced the kitten to Ruby by first allowing her to sniff the tiny creature. Ruby responded calmly and soon began cleaning the kitten like a mother. When Brittany placed the kitten near Ruby’s nipple, the kitten immediately began to nurse. Ruby, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, relaxed and accepted the kitten into her brood. Since then, Ruby has grown attached to the kitten, caring for her even more attentively than her own puppies, often carrying the kitten around the house.
Although Ruby will likely nurse Ramblin’ Rose for the next few weeks, Brittany has been supplementing the kitten’s feedings with formula to ensure she gets all the nutrients she needs. While Ruby’s bond with the kitten is strong, Brittany doesn’t plan to keep Ramblin’ Rose permanently. Some of Brittany’s other dogs, including a husky-shepherd mix, aren’t as tolerant of cats as Ruby, so the kitten will be adopted by a family member once she’s older.
Even after the kitten finds her forever home, Ruby will still have her hands—or paws—full with her own energetic puppies. But knowing Ruby, she’ll manage it all with the same love and care she’s shown from the start.
Feel free to SHARE this heartwarming story with others!
