Loving rescue Labrador raises seven motherless kittens like they are his own

The one year old Labrador Bertie instinctively adopted the abandoned and helpless kittens when they were brought to his home and started giving them love and care.

The Daily Star reports that a caring rescue dog is melting hearts after raising seven motherless kittens for the past few weeks.

Loving Labrador Bertie was a former resident of the animal rescue charity Battersea. When the kittens were brought home, he instinctively adopted them like one of his own and started taking care of them.

The stray kittens were only about two weeks old when they were found off the side of the road, with no mother in sight.

At this age, they would not be able to survive on their own, which is why the person who found them rushed the kittens to Battersea to be checked over by their expert clinic team.

Once vets established the very hungry kittens were otherwise healthy, Battersea’s head nurse Rachel volunteered to take the litter home with her, where both she and her Battersea dog, Bertie, could keep a close eye on them.

Rachel spoke to TeamDogs saying, ‘I’m incredibly proud of Bertie for the way he has cared for the kittens over the last few weeks. At less than two years old, he’s barely an adult himself, but you wouldn’t think it when you see how incredibly patient and nurturing he has been.

‘These kittens have certainly been a handful, from the early days when they needed bottle feeding round the clock, to when they first discovered the joys of climbing.

‘Not only has Bertie helped the kittens become confident, sociable little cats, he’s also kept me entertained.’

Kittens would usually spend the first eight weeks of their lives with their mother, as she will need to feed them and teach them survival skills until they are ready to fend for themselves.

If a motherless kitten is brought to Battersea during these crucial first few weeks of development, a foster carer will take on the role of mum including regular bottle feeds and help with toileting.

Once they are old enough to feed and care for themselves, they will be taken to one of the charity’s catteries until a new permanent home has been found.

Rachel added: ‘Hand rearing kittens is such a wonderfully rewarding experience. You get to help them grow from tiny defenceless babies into unique characters ready for a loving home.

‘I was sad to see them go, but I can take comfort in knowing that Bertie and I helped give them the best start in life. I suspect Bertie may also have been enjoying the peace and quiet once his young charges had gone. He’d certainly earned it!”’

While all of the kittens have now gone to new homes you can find out more about other cats still looking for a home on the Battersea website.

(Story source: Daily Star)