Bringing a new baby home to the family pet can be a harrowing time for parents. Will the baby be safe if left alone with a dog 10 times its size or a cat with sharp claws?
Kasey Boggs found out pretty quickly what can happen when a newborn is introduced to a bunch of pets at once. Boggs and her husband brought Sonny home to meet their four dogs and tabby cat, and they instantly took to the tiny human.
"From the minute we have brought Sonny home," they have respected him and loved him as one of their own," Kasey said in an interview with The Dodo.
When Sonny was a few days old, Mia the cat kept her distance from the newborn, but she would still keep a protective eye on him in case anything went wrong.
As Sonny grew stronger, Mia's motherly instincts kicked in and she began sleeping next to the baby. She preferred to nestle close to his face and wrap her paws gently around his tiny head.
"I think she feels her role is to watch over everyone, like a hawk," Boggs said. "That's her way of protecting us."
Mia and Sonny became inseparable. Kasey told The Dodo the cat barely leaves the baby's side and checks him over every time she and her son return from an outing.
"In the last two weeks Mia has developed a very strong love for Sonny," said Boggs. "She loves watching all his little quirky movements, plays under his teepee with him and there hasn't been a morning where Sonny hasn't woken up to Mia."
It's lucky that Sonny has such a watchful protector. When Boggs took Sonny into the hospital to get his shots done, Mia knew something was wrong when he got back.
"She went right for the place where he had gotten his shots on," Sonny's mom said. "When I picked him up out of his carrier, she was meowing at us and was on the bed before I could even lay him down. She laid with him all afternoon."
It turned out that Sonny had a slight fever and Mia could sense the baby's distress. To calm and comfort him, she cuddled next to Sonny until his condition improved.
Sonny recovered quickly, and we can guess it was partially due to this loyal kitty's love.
"She takes her role as the caregiver of the house very seriously," Boggs said. "Its what she lives for."
Want to find out more about Sonny and Mia? Follow them and their family on Instagram!