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Wild Cat Gang Keeps Lost Boy Alive

Huddled together to keep him warm, brought him food

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 20, 2008 1:52 PM CST

(Newser) – Police in Argentina recently found a 1-year-old homeless boy being cared for by wild cats, the Daily Telegraph reports. A policewoman on patrol noticed an unusually large cat gathering which, on closer inspection, was surrounding the boy. Doctors believe the eight cats snuggled up to keep the child warm on cold nights that would have otherwise been fatal.

“The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter,” the officer said. “There were all these cats on top of him licking him because he was really dirty. When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me.” The cats also apparently foraged for the boy's food. Police later found his homeless father, who said cats have always been protective of his son.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

A young boy was found being protected by cats on the street. (Shutterstock)

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They would have viewed the baby like a big hot water bottle. Cats will cuddle up to anything to keep warm, even dogs. - A spokesman for Thames Valley Animal Welfare

The cats knew he was fragile and needed protecting. - Alicia Lorena, the Argentine police woman who found the boy

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Guest

Aug 18, 2009 11:13 PM CDT

Everyone who has commented on this post so far (except stormy7) has completely missed the point. Palerider is just a brainless racist and Prevost1580 seems to ignore the plight of the abandoned infant, a situation that I even as a very big cat lover find ten times more heart wrenching than the story of a bunch of feral cats who seem to be able to fend for themselves quite well. Of course it is not ideal for cats or dogs to be homeless but that's not the point of this story. This story is a tragedy with a side order of warmth and wonder.

Guest

Dec 20, 2008 11:42 PM CST

Pl support TNR ( Trap-neuter-return ) these cats are just trying to survive on a daily basis and were,sadly! thrown out by society. Ferals are victims of human iresponsibility. p.s starving them to death is inhumane and does NOT solve the overpopulation.

Guest

Dec 20, 2008 8:41 PM CST

The Chinese would have eaten the cats, and maybe the boy too. Why was the boy abandon, did they eat his parents.

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Wild Cat Gang Keeps Lost Boy Alive