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See the abandoned puppy who was 'adopted' by a cat and her litter of kittens

A made-for-TV movie plot? No, this story's real — and every bit as sweet as it sounds.
/ Source: TODAY

It sounds like the plot of a made-for-TV movie: A mom cat with a litter of kittens "adopts" an orphaned puppy after his mother was hit by a car.

But no, this story's real — and every bit as sweet as it sounds. It began on April 1, when Bobby, a 5-week-old Chihuahua mix, was brought to the Michigan Humane Society.

"We got a call from one of our transfer partners, who'd been called out to a scene where a mother dog had been killed by a car," Ryan McTigue, a Humane Society spokesperson, told TODAY in a phone interview. "She had a puppy that was just a couple of days old."

TODAY
Michigan Humane Society

As fate would have it, Bobby was brought to a shelter that housed a cat who'd just given birth to a litter of five tiny kittens.

The mother cat, Gwen, came to accept the puppy as one of her own. And now, they're all one big, happy family.

"The shelter didn't have the resources to take care of the big litter, so we took them in and got them medical attention," McTigue said.

Now, the motley (but adorable) crew is being cared for in a foster home where they can grow up and socialize together — yes, canine included. Once they're healthy enough, they'll go up for adoption.

TODAY
Michigan Humane Society

"They're doing really well," McTigue said. "The foster mom stays in contact with us and we're getting updates. Plus, they come here to get checked by the veterinarian."

Of course, this story won't exactly be able to follow through with its Disney-esque beginnings. Eventually, little Bobby will have to trade meows for barks and say goodbye to his whiskered mom, brothers and sisters.

puppy adopted by a litter of cats
puppy adopted by a litter of catsMichigan Humane Society

"We're going to have to get him into a home with some dogs," laughed McTigue. "So he can learn how to be ... you know ... a dog."

Either way, McTigue and the rest of the Humane Society is proud of the pup.

"He's a great dog. And we think he'll make a good ambassador for both breeds."