Kitten That Was “Adopted” By Huskies Now Thinks She’s A Dog (The Pictures Are So Sweet)
Life on the streets is especially harsh for a small kitten. That's exactly where one young cat found herself—roaming alone through the San Francisco Bay Area at just a few weeks old, with no one to look after her.
Fortunately, a compassionate group of sisters discovered the tiny kitten and brought her into their home. They named her Rosie, and before long, she was introduced to an unlikely group of companions—a playful pack of Huskies.
It's Not Always Warm and Sunny In California
California may be famous for its sunshine, but that doesn't always hold true—particularly in northern cities like San Jose, where Rosie’s journey began. Nighttime temperatures there can dip into the 40s, a dangerous chill for a vulnerable two-week-old kitten left to fend for herself.
Rosie’s odds of survival were slim in such harsh conditions. But fortunately, fate intervened, setting her on a path that would transform her life forever.
Three Sisters Found The Kitten
The tiny kitten was barely hanging on. Each day was a struggle, and in her fragile state, it was unlikely she could survive much longer in the chilly streets of San Jose. But fortunately, help was just around the corner.
Sisters Thi and Tram Bui spotted the kitten near a friend's home. Knowing their sister Thoa had a deep love for animals and a knack for rescuing those in distress, they didn’t think twice. With care and compassion, they scooped up the kitten and brought her home—ready to offer the second chance she so desperately needed.
The Baby Cat Was In Bad Shape
Sometimes, a young animal that appears abandoned is simply alone for a short time—but Thoa, with her background in animal rescue, could tell this wasn't the case. It was immediately clear that the kitten had no mother watching over her.
Her frail state confirmed it. At just three weeks old, she was in rough shape—clearly struggling to survive. The sisters later told *ABC News* the kitten was "malnourished, tired, and close to dying."
Naming The Kitten
After bringing the fragile kitten home, Thoa named her Rosie. She understood that nursing Rosie back to health would require patience, dedication, and plenty of love—and she was fully committed to the task. Thoa's deep affection for animals quickly forged a strong connection with the tiny feline.
Rosie’s severe malnourishment was a major concern. Like any infant, she needed nutritious food to regain strength and heal. Yet despite Thoa’s attentive care, Rosie stubbornly refused to eat, leaving Thoa anxious and searching for new ways to support her recovery.
How Would She Feed Rosie?
Despite her extensive experience in animal rescue, Thoa felt overwhelmed and deeply concerned as Rosie continued to refuse food. The fragile kitten desperately needed nourishment, and with each passing hour, her condition grew more critical.
"She almost didn't make it through the first night, even with constant care. Our sweet kitten was weak and limp," Thoa revealed on Instagram. It was then that an unexpected idea came to her: if nothing else worked, perhaps a gentle companion could make a difference. So, she chose to introduce Rosie to someone very special—her Siberian Husky, Lilo.
Rosie And Lilo
Thoa was very distressed that she wasn't able to get little Rosie to eat anything. The baby kitten just couldn’t survive without sustenance. She thought maybe the issue was getting Rosie to feel safe enough that she would be able to eat.
She believed that if Rosie had an animal pal, she’d feel more comfortable eating some much-needed food. That’s when Lilo, the Siberian Husky, entered the kitten’s life and changed it forever!
A Successful Introduction
Just as soon as Rosie was introduced to Lilo, the two started bonding. As Thoa told ABC News, the caring dog did not leave Rosie's side for hours. The kitten cuddled right up to Lilo and clearly felt comforted by the dog’s presence.
Soon enough, Rosie felt safe and secure enough to feel hungry. She even tried to nurse on Lilo, as if the Husky was her mama! This was very encouraging to Thoa.
Getting More Comfortable
Lilo clearly had some maternal instincts, because she immediately knew what to do when she met the tiny kitten. Thoa recalled to ABC News that Lilo "cuddled her and comforted [Rosie] until she was better and ready to finally drink from a bottle."
In fact, Lilo stayed by Rosie's side all night. This was an even better outcome than anyone could have hoped for! Thoa brought the dog’s dinner to her so she could stay by her new little buddy.
Lilo Seemed To Know That Rosie Needed Her
A maternal instinct is a powerful force, and although Lilo couldn't ever naturally become a mother, she sure knew just what to do with baby Rosie.
As Thoa shared, "Lilo has never had puppies of her own, and never will. But motherhood may just be her calling," adding, “I think she knew that Rosie needed her.” Perhaps the two animals needed each other for different reasons. Either way, they were now inseparable.
Cuddle Buddies
The unlikely dog-cat friendship between little Rosie and her Husky guardian Lilo was not just cute. It literally saved the kitten's life! As Thoa recounted to The Dodo, "She started feeding after a couple hours of just cuddling" with Lilo. A little comfort goes a long way when you need some.
Thoa and her sisters just couldn’t believe how much Lilo had helped little Rosie. The two animals had grown incredibly attached to one another in a short time.
The Rest Of The Family
Contrary to popular belief, dogs and cats aren't always enemies. And Lilo and Rosie were perfect examples of that. Right after meeting each other for the first time, they were pretty much inseparable.
It turns out that Lilo wasn’t the only dog in Rosie’s new household. She was actually part of a pack of three dogs, along with two other Huskies named Miko and Infinity. Would Rosie get along with them, too?
The Truth About Cats And dogs
What would happen when Thoa introduced little Rosie to the Husky pack? Would Infinity and Miko accept the kitten as Lilo had, or would they be upset at the intrusion into their pack?
Fortunately, the other two dogs took a liking to Rosie right away, too! And she felt the same about them. Pretty soon, all four animals became all one big family and acted like it was the most natural thing in the world for them to enjoy each other's company as much as they did.
Kitty See, Kitty Do
In many families, the youngest child (or animal) will often look up to the older ones and imitate everything they do. This turned out to be the case with Rosie and her new doggie siblings, even though she was just a few weeks old and they were big Huskies!
It was absolutely adorable. The cat was now one of the pack, and she followed them everywhere she could. "They sleep together, they walk together, we all go for hikes together," Thoa told BuzzFeed.
Feeling Left Out
Despite being part of a close-knit family, there were some things Rosie couldn't do with her new Husky siblings. One of Thoa’s sisters thought that the normally-happy Rosie looked sad anytime they all left and she had to stay at home by herself.
So Thi, Tram, and Thoa came up with a plan that might have sounded a little insane to other people at first. The idea was so unusual that they weren’t sure it would work.
Bringing Rosie Along
The three Bui sisters knew that their idea to bring Rosie along with them when they took the dog pack out was a strange one. Thoa recalled, "I was like, 'You're crazy, we’re going to look ridiculous." But they decided to go ahead with it anyway.
"[W]e do [look ridiculous] sometimes, but that’s okay… Basically, whatever we do with the dogs, we bring Rosie along,” Thoa said. All the animals enjoyed it, so who cares?
No Litter Box For Rosie
The fact that sweet little Rosie thought she was a dog meant that the Bui sisters got to see a lot of hilarious antics. But one of the funniest things the kitten did involved her potty activities. She wasn't content to use a litter box like any "normal" cat might.
Instead, Rosie learned to do her business the “doggy way.” In an interview with ABC News, Thoa shared the hilarious story. "When [Rosie] saw Lilo and the dogs went outside to potty, she started doing the same… When they were leashed to go on walks, Lilo wanted to be leashed and to come along, too.”
The Dogs Made The Decision For Thoa
Although Thoa didn't initially plan to keep little Rosie forever and just meant to foster her back to health, the Husky pack had other plans. Once the time came to find Rosie a permanent home, she looked to the dogs for an answer.
As she said to ABC News, "Rosie is now a part of the pack… Since Lilo is their leader, Infinity and Miko just accepted her, and now they're all good friends." It looked like the kitty was there to stay!
Rosie Was Home, Sweet Home
Silly little Rosie was finally at home with her permanent family. She continued to settle in with her Husky pack and as time went on, they all grew closer and closer. What an incredible home for any cat to find itself in – especially one that had been in such bad shape like Rosie had.
Was it was because of her young age that Rosie had started to act just like her canine siblings? No one is sure, but Thoa says that she still has some inborn cat characteristics and traits.
There Is A "Cat" Side To Rosie
Whether Rosie really thinks she's a dog or not, she does still act like a cat sometimes. Thoa explained this to The Dodo.
"She definitely has her catlike features because she has other cats living in the house that are her friends, as well," she said. "But I think she knows deep down inside that she was raised by a husky." Lilo’s sweet mothering really made a big impact on Rosie’s life!
Dominant Dog Traits
"She thinks she's more a dog than anything," laughed Thoa as she spoke to The Dodo about Rosie. After being raised by dogs, she has kept "so many of those features."
And it goes beyond her preference for going to the bathroom outside with the dogs and walking on a leash. Rosie also eats and drinks from the same dishes that the dogs do. None of the animals mind that they're not the same species – they’re all family either way!
With Lilo By Her Side, Rosie Can Do Anything
Rosie seems to have broken a lot of the stereotypes about cats. For one thing, she loves dogs even though she's not "supposed" to. And it turns out that she doesn’t even mind the water like a lot of cats do. In fact, she went boating with her family and didn’t seem to mind the experience.
"We go on a lot of road trips, and we recently took Rosie kayaking and paddle-boating with us," Thoa said to ABC News. "She's not afraid at all, and as long as Lilo is there, she knows everything is going to be OK."
Rosie 'Pays It Forward' With Other Rescues
Since she had such a hard time when she was a little kitten, trying to survive while living on the streets of San Jose, Rosie had to learn to be tough.
But Lilo's affection and love obviously wore off on her too, and she "pays that forward" whenever she gets a chance. You see, Thoa continues to rescue strays and bring them home with her, and Rosie helps to care for all of them.
A Natural Caretaker
Thoa is an animal-lover at heart and continues to rescue strays off the streets. Since Rosie has become a permanent part of Thoa's family and the Husky pack, she has brought other needy animals in to care for them.
And Rosie is there to help! She seems to thrive on giving love and attention to all the strays she meets, offering them the kind of love and care that Lilo gave her.
Rosie, Five Years After Being Rescued
Sweet Rosie, once abandoned and living on the streets, is now a foster mother herself! A year after she was rescued by the Bui sisters, they brought home four kittens who needed help. And Rosie was up for the challenge.
The sisters posted an update to YouTube showing Rosie taking care of the little ones, and she is a natural. "It looks like Lilo's teachings have rubbed off on [Rosie]! She started mothering the kittens, and although she has never had a litter of her own, or any milk to give, she is as motherly as they come. We are so proud of her!!"
Melting Hearts All Over The World
Thoa, Thi, and Tram Bui like to share their animal rescue stories with the rest of the world. They're true animal lovers and people enjoy seeing the photos that the sisters share of the various animals they’ve taken in and fostered, such as these itsy bitsy kittens!.
On social media, the Buis share heartwarming stories of unconditional love for animals. Their posts inspire people all around the world. They run a nonprofit kitten rescue now, called Mini Cat Town Kitten Rescue.
Here's Rosie, Five Years After Being Rescued
The sisters still post frequently about Rosie, too, and recently shared an update on her five-year birthday. "Happy Birthday to Lilo, Rosie, and Infinity! The pups turned 7 on April 30th and Rosie turned 5 years old," read the caption on Instagram.
"It's so crazy to look back and see how much time has passed. We are so lucky to be celebrating another year together! Thank you to everyone who has been following their story from the very beginning!"
Mother's Day: Lilo Nurturing Some Kittens!
Sweet Lilo thrives from helping other animals, and here's a recent photo of her cuddling with yet another kitten rescue. In an Instagram post, this photo was captioned "Happy Mother's Day!" Even though Lilo didn't have her own puppies, she clearly has a strong maternal instinct and loves to nurture babies in need.
We can't get a good read on her expression in this photo, though. As one of Lilo's followers noted, she might be thinking "hmm, not sure I signed up for this, but oh well."
Sara Horton
