An entire brood of ducklings found themselves without an adult duck on a small farm. The farm owners had little time to care for them, but the situation unexpectedly changed when a cat took an interest in the ducklings. She gently warmed the little ones, and now the ducklings consider themselves true kittens.
Due to the small size of the ducklings, the farm owners decided to temporarily bring them indoors, especially considering that the cat named Jackie usually lived in the apartment. When the ducklings were inside the house, they were a bit bewildered, but Jackie quickly gathered them into a box, continuing to cuddle and care for them.
Such behavior is quite rare, but it’s known that cats sometimes nurture the offspring of other species. This can happen due to caregiving instincts or a social interaction need. This phenomenon is known as «allosuckling.»
The behavior exhibited by the ducklings emerges from a very early age when they begin to mimic their parent. In this case, the ducklings saw a cat for the first time in their lives, and their behavior immediately became characteristic of kittens.
As the ducklings grow up, they will be returned to the farm where they will behave differently. However, this unusual and heartwarming moment highlights how different animal species can find common ground and even develop a unique friendship outside of their natural environments.