Prakash Saskin, a teacher in Kavithala town in South India, was shocked when someone stole his cat just a day after she gave birth on April 12.

He and his family struggled to feed the five kittens, which were too small to drink from the bottle.

But luckily his five-year-old pet dog, Champa, decided to adopt the kittens. She caught a kitten in her mouth and started feeding him. The rest of the litter got the idea and started drinking her milk hungrily.

For the last two weeks, Champa has been nursing them regularly. She keeps a watchful eye on them and makes sure they do not stray outside the house. They play with her and think she is their mother.

“Champa had given birth two months ago. We had given away her pups for adoption a few days before the kittens arrived. It was fortunate that she still had milk to feed the kittens,” says Papanna .

Champa’s generosity has turned her into a local celebrity. Many neighbours drop in to see the canine mother and her feline children.