“Tang began whimpering and knelt next to her.” ❤️
Zach Hearn believed his family was complete, but his two dogs, Tang and Cream, had other ideas.
Earlier this month, the puppies were out for a stroll when they came across a little animal calling for help and ran to its aid.
“Tang and Cream came to a halt, bewildered,” Hearn told The Dodo. “You could hear a meow from a distance, so both ran up to investigate.”
Hearn couldn’t see the source of the commotion, but the two dogs were able to sniff out a little kitten, around 3 to 4 weeks old, lying in the middle of the roadway.
The small kitten was filthy and underweight, and there was no sign of its mother. Hearn was concerned that his golden retriever and King Charles cavalier might chase the cat away, but the pups knew just what to do.
Hearn was taken aback when both dogs began consoling the terrified small calico. “Tang began to whimper and lay down close to her,” Hearn explained. “Cream began licking and scrubbing her.”
Hearn realized he couldn’t leave the kitten alone on the road, so he scooped her up and took her home, where he and his girlfriend provided the cat with a cozy spot to rest as well as a much-needed wash and nourishment. The cat had clearly been on her own for some while, but she quickly regained her strength.
“We chose to call the cat (Tou Jiang), which means jackpot,” Hearn said. “At first, she didn’t have a lot of energy and slept a lot. But she perked up when she was fed on a regular basis and provided a comfortable place to sleep.”
The dogs fell in love with Tou Jiang the instant they laid eyes on her. The dogs never leave her side and are always there to provide her with anything she requires, whether it’s comfort, snuggling, a tongue wash, or playfulness.
When it comes to nurturing the kitten, each dog has their own own “parenting” technique.
“Tang is more of a laid-back mom,” Hearn explained. “The cat will jump on her and toy with her tail, while Tang simply lies there.” If the kitten is going to do anything, she will step in.”
“Cream is a whole other animal,” he continued. “She hovers more and is always near to her, playing with her and licking her clean as her actual mother would.” They’re quite excellent at taking turns, but they’re [always] monitoring her unless she’s put to sleep in her bed.”
It took some getting accustomed to having a cat in the household, but the love and pleasure that Tou Jiang provides her adopted dog parents is priceless.
“Raising a kitten is not the same as raising a puppy,” Hearn explained. “The feeding and potty needs might be tiring, but it’s been well worth it.” She spends the entire day with the dogs, and we have a home camera to keep an eye on them while we are at work. The dogs are continuously keeping an eye on her and following her around.”