Maggie is my six-year-old black Scottie. Living with cats most of her life, I knew she was gentle and motherly, but never dreamed what was about to happen…

I had trapped a tiny kitten, one who had been alone for 24 hours. He was terrified and very wild, attacking any time I came close to his cage.

His littermates and feral mother had been caught the day before. Mom was at the vet being spayed, and the other kittens were in Santa Barbara in foster, so I had to keep this one overnight.

When I went to offer food in the morning, I found the kitten backed into a far corner of the trap, shaking and crying piteously. Still he lashed out if I came near.

My heart broke, as I searched for ideas to ease his pain.

Then I remembered Maggie. The kitten’s mother was black, so I thought maybe….

When Maggie came into sight, the mewing stopped instantly. Suddenly, loud purring erupted from the cage and this tiny, terrified baby began inching forward to head-butt the bars, trying to get to Maggie.

I brought the dog in closer, and they touched noses.

The purring never let up, not even when I tentatively put my finger through the wire to stroke the tiny side.

I could see that the kitten desperately wanted Maggie, so I opened the cage. In less than an hour, this “slash-and-dash” feral animal was sitting unrestrained and purring in my lap!

I ensconced the kitten in the upstairs bathroom, and then went to fetch his mother from the vet. Since I had to keep her for two nights prior to release, I put her cage in the same room with him.

Interestingly, the kitten did not purr when he saw his mother, but continued to every time he saw Maggie, He would not even eat unless Maggie was in the room! The older cat just watched silently.

The rest is history, as my resident cat count suddenly swelled by one Barney.

Maggie spent lots of time licking her tiny charge, especially after a meal, but sidestepped the kitten’s attempts to nurse.

The first night Barney was allowed to run free in the house, another delightful thing happened. I was just dropping off to sleep when the distinct sound of purring began emanating from Maggie’s kennel next to my bed. I looked over, and there was Barney curled up next to his “Mom” with Maggie scrunched in the corner to make room for him.

Two years later, Barney still purrs whenever he sees Maggie and they regularly nap together on the window seat and romp in the back yard.

Maggie continues to “whisper” the foster kittens which come through our home. She is one special dog.