Jack Russell Takes On The Role Of Mom For Abandoned Kittens

When a litter of kittens was abandoned by their mom, the owners never expected their dog to step in and help. But they would be lost without the Jack Russell, who is not just comforting the kittens, but nursing them too. In a viral TikTok video shared by owner @brandonbryan35, the newborn kittens can be seen sleeping near the dog's stomach. Bryan can be heard explaining the "crazy" situation. To watch the video, click here.

He explains he was feeding the kittens, but then the Jack Russell unexpectedly decided to "take it upon herself to become mom." Bryan can be heard saying: "I don't know if these kittens are gonna start barking or what, but I guess we have a dog raising a litter of kittens."

While she hasn't got any puppies at the moment, the dog seems to have given birth in March, according to one video. Newsweek discussed the footage, which has 1.5 million views, with a veterinarian to find out if milk production is a demand and supply process.

Dr. Anna Foreman, who is based in the U.K. and works for Everypaw Pet Insurance, said: "Production of milk is instigated by hormonal changes, usually the release of prolactin during and after pregnancy, and oxytocin produced during and after giving birth, so that a mother can feed her offspring. However, a dog can produce these hormones if entire (not neutered) and not pregnant in certain circumstances.

The most common of these is during a false pregnancy – after a dog's season, hormonal changes can occur that trick a dog's body into thinking they are pregnant. Behavioral changes will occur and a dog will often produce milk. Dogs can also produce milk if another creature (such as puppy or kitten) suckles and kneads on the mammary glands – this action stimulates prolactin and oxytocin release, which leads to milk production.

"In this dog's case, she is entire and had puppies in March. She may have come back into season and gone into a false pregnancy due to the presence of the kittens, or may have produced milk due to the stimulation of the suckling."

It is safe for kittens to drink dog milk temporarily; however, it is not recommended as the nutritional balance is aimed towards dogs rather than cats, and so protein, calcium levels, etc. will not be appropriate. Rather, a milk replacer specifically for kittens would be much more appropriate.

The heartwarming video has racked up 140,500 likes, and users have been shocked to say the least. In the comments, one user asked: "Curious, how does a dog just decide to start making milk?" Bryan responded: "She definitely is making milk, and is full; we don't understand it either."

People may be shocked to discover that a neutered dog can also produce milk. Foreman told Newsweek: "A spayed dog can also produce milk under certain circumstances. Most commonly, a dog can start producing milk after being spayed if they are neutered at the wrong point in their cycle (when their progesterone levels are high). If a dog is incorrectly spayed and ovarian tissue is left behind, they can have false pregnancies and thus produce milk too."

Another user commented on the clip and said: "Jack Russell raising kittens. Those are going to be some spicy kittens." Newsweek reached out to @brandonbryan35 for comment. We couldn't verify the details of the case.

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