Ask Sylvester and Tweety – cats and birds aren’t known for getting along very well!

It’s in their DNA, their most basic instincts. Cats have hunted birds since the beginning of time, and birds are basically just jumpy in every situation.

But Ronan and Emma Lally, of Clara, County Offaly, Ireland discovered something to the contrary.

They found three ducklings missing from the nest where their freshly hatched shells had been left behind. Knowing that cats will be cats, Ronan had a sneaking suspicion that his beloved cat, Della, may have had something to do with the mystery.

And he was right, but not in the way that he expected to be.

Emma and Ronan tracked Della down on their massive farm property and found her with one of the baby ducklings between her sharp teeth.

The couple’s hearts sank. They were sure they had been too late, and were ready to remind themselves of the circle of life.

But Emma could tell Della wasn’t in a frenzy of “cat and mouse” (or, bird, in this case). She could see that Della was holding the duck loosely between her jaws, and the duck was still breathing!

They rushed over to get the newborns away from their natural predator, but they went running right on back to the cat. They curled up among her warm fur and between her clawed paws, totally without fear.

To Ronan and Emma’s surprise – the ducklings even tried to nurse from their new “mom”!

Now, that seems particularly crazy, because ducklings don’t nurse. When they’re hatched, they’re born ready to track down some grub – literally! They eat a variety of bugs, and then more plant matter as they age.

But it seems that with Della nearby, it changed the way their instincts kicked in. She had just given birth to a litter of kittens, and her motherly instinct was still burning strong. The little ducklings couldn’t help but want to snuggle up in that soft, warm fur.

“They love each other, like, you can’t break this bond. It’s amazing.” – Emma Lally

Ronan was, rightfully, concerned about the ducklings’ safety and thought it would be safer to separate them from the cat. But, Emma’s years of work as a midwife gave her some experienced insight into the connecting growing between Della and her ducklings.

“There was just so much love there, you know. I see it everyday in the labor ward. They just want to hold those babies tight and close, it’s just a moment that lasts forever and I could see that happening with the cat and the ducks.” – Emma Lally

She could see that the motherly bond was going to be a tough one to break. And she knew Della would love those ducklings as if they were her own kittens.

She became a biological and adoptive mother all in one day!

The family posted a video online showing Della with all her children – including her “yellow kittens” all curled up next to her.

But ducklings grow up faster than kittens do, and the little feathered babies were ready to go out on their own shortly after their birth.

They still come around for regular visits though!

There really is nothing that can quite compare to a mother’s love.

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Source: LFC 1892, Nature in Flight