Mama Cat Takes in 8 Orphan Hedgehogs as Her Own (VIDEO)

We have seen many cases of unlikely cross-species adoptions, where an animal takes it upon themselves to step in and care for the young of an entirely different species. But this one probably makes it to the top of the list of the most eccentric ones.

The video footage shows a female cat that has taken in eight tiny… hedgehog babies! As it turns out, the loving cat, Musya, began nursing the little hedgehogs after they had lost their mother in a lawnmower accident. Caregivers at Sadgorod Zoo in Vladivostok, Russia, took the babies in and attempted to feed them on their own, but the hedgehogs refused to eat from a bottle or syringe.

This is where Musya came in. As she had just finished nursing a few foster kittens, she still had some milk left. The carers, worried that the hedgehogs might not survive because of the lack of food and affection, placed the babies near her, hoping for the best. Unbelievably, only seconds after that, Musya way lying on her side, encouraging the hedgehogs to nurse. This wonderful kitty now has a whole litter of little spiky foster kids of her own – and she has literally saved their lives.

We hope that once the babies are strong enough, they will be able to return to the wild. In the meantime, we could all stand to learn a lesson from this mama cat and show kindness to all the animals in our lives.