Tom and Jerry are one of the most iconic cartoon character duos of all time. But if you’ve been living under a rock, it’s about a cat and a mouse who are mortal enemies. In real life, cats and mice don’t get along as well. But, as it turns out, there are some very adorable exceptions. Like this mama cat who welcomed a tiny mouse into her litter!
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More info: TikTok
An adorable video of a mouse and cat's friendship has been taking the internet by storm
Image credits: angelamantha
A beautiful mama cat has recently welcomed an adorable litter of fluffy kittens. Just like any other mom, she’s been giving all of her attention and love to the little ones, making sure they are well fed and protected. Well, one of her “kittens” is unlike the others. A tiny mouse found its way into the cat family and surprisingly has been welcomed with open arms (or should we say open paws).
The owner of the cat family, Angela, was shocked when she made this unusual discovery. She decided to capture their unique bond in a series of videos and post it on TikTok. The videos have gathered over 16M views with many positive comments admiring this unusual friendship.
“There’s this little mouse. All nice and cozy.” Angela couldn’t believe what she saw. “I don’t even know what to do with him!”
Image credits: angelamantha
A mama cat has welcomed a tiny mouse into her newest litter, sharing food and warmth with the little rodent
Image credits: angelamantha
While his kitten siblings seemed to be a little confused about their strange sibling who loves to snuggle up in their warm fur, the mama cat remained unfazed when “her baby” jumped into a cat bowl to share the meal. The kittens’ “grandmeowther” Angela shook her head in disbelief, saying that mama cat is teaching her kittens “absolutely nothing”.
Mama cat’s strange behavior could be attributed to her maternal instincts to protect, but it could also be due to her uniqueness. She’s an orange cat, which is highly unusual for a female cat, as only 20% of all orange cats are females.
Cat coat colors are usually linked to their gender – just like it’s (often) safe to assume that orange cats are boys, calico beauties are usually girls. And 100% of cats are the best boys and girls.
Image credits: angelamantha
The kittens, too, seemed unfazed by their strange-looking sibling
Image credits: angelamantha
Image credits: angelamantha
This adorable friendship seems strange, but it is not a unique case. There are numerous cases of interspecies friends recorded – animals don’t discriminate based on looks or personality quirks. But is there a scientific reason behind it? There are actually a few:
- Parenting. Some animals have incredibly strong parental instincts (just like the mama cat) and take care of the young in need of care and attention. This need to protect is so strong it can surpass predatory behavior. It is mostly observed in birds where different species choose to raise abandoned chicks.
- Playtime. Friends come in all shapes and sizes, and animals know it best. They enjoy spending time with different animals, especially if their own species is sparse around them. Their social needs often overcome the natural fear of a different species.
- Protection. Sometimes it is safer to hang out with bigger and stronger animals who can scare off the predators.
Maybe we should follow their example and extend our friend pool by inviting “different” people from who we are used to hanging out with? Perhaps bubbly extroverts could learn the beauty of slowing down by befriending a quiet introvert and the shy one could learn how to order a coffee without fear from the loud one?
However, some commenters pointed out the mouse's unusual behavior could be caused by a dangerous disease called toxoplasmosis
Image credits: angelamantha
Despite the wholesomeness of the video, many concerned commenters pointed out that the reason behind the mouse’s bravery is a dangerous disease called toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasma gondii is a nasty parasite usually transmitted through cat feces. It can alter the behavior of animals, making them less fearful of their usual predators. This newfound “bravery” increases the chance of the infected animal being consumed by the predator, increasing the chance of tranmission.
Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous to pregnant women as it can trigger a miscarriage, cause birth defects or severe health issues, so it is advised that moms-to-be refrain from cleaning cat litter boxes until the little one is born.
If you’re ever unsure whether your beloved pet had contact with an infected animal, it is best to consult the vet to ensure their long and healthy life.
Whatever the reason is, this beautiful bond is admirable and we as humans should learn a thing or two from that
Image credits: angelamantha
Sadly, the latest update was a bit of a tragic one – Angela’s other cat wasn’t so keen on the new baby and decided to eat it. Hopefully, mama cat wasn’t too distraught by the loss as she had five other little ones to care for.
What do you think of this adorable video? Do you think mama cat took care of the mouse because she thought it was her baby?
Watch the video here
People in the comments loved this adorable friendship and encouraged humanity to take an example from it
