We’ve always been told that cats and dogs never get along but for this mommy cat, maternal instincts know no bounds.

In a video posted by LundKids on YouTube, a cat broke the myth of their rivalry with dogs when she was presented with a newborn puppy.

By the looks of it, the puppy seemed to be orphaned.

Swaddled in a brown towel, the puppy who wasn’t even a week old, yelped for its mom.

Unfortunately, the only mother in the house was a nursing cat and her litter of newly born kittens.

The woman in the video walked towards the box of cats and carefully lowered the puppy so the mother cat could see.

They were cautious at first because the cat might see the puppy as a competing species, and therefore a threat.

But instead of hostility, the cat purred in curiosity and craned herself up towards the puppy. She gently nudged her nose into the poor orphan even if the puppy was flailing about.

What’s surprising, however, was the cat’s visible concern towards the little animal.

When they placed the puppy into the litter, the mother cat quickly made space and inspected the tiny addition to her family. The puppy doesn’t know it yet, but in the midst of his blind shuffling, he was already at home with his new kitten siblings.

But why are animals keen on adopting even if the orphans are not from the same species?

According to Jenny Holland, author of the 2011 book Unlikely Friendship, adoptions are relatively common in domestic animals such as dogs, cats, and other farm animals. They can also be seen in the wild but not as often.

Mutual benefit can also be one of the reasons why animals adopt, Jill Goldman told National Geographic. She’s an applied animal behaviorist based in California.

She explained that the adoptive dynamics should benefit both species in some way. As she shared with National Geographic:

“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.”

Marianne Reidman, who studied adoption among seals, said that mothers who adopt might also gain valuable maternal experience during foster care, thus increasing their own parenting capabilities.

The list goes on for these adoptive relationships – from the hippo Owen getting adopted by Mzee the tortoise, to the Dalmatian who adopted a spotted lamb, to the “completely unprecedented” relationship of a lioness and a baby oryx.

In all of these stories, like this cat who adopted a puppy, maternal instincts are undeniably present.

In the end, the cat curls against the corner of her litter box to give space to her new youngling.

And in a surprising act, she lets the little puppy nurse together with her kittens.

If that doesn’t melt your heart, we don’t know what will.

Watch the adorable video below!

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Source: YouTube – LundKids, YouTube – Origins Explained, YouTube – Awesome Animals, National Geographic, BBC, The Dodo