Australia - What started off as a tragedy for this cat became a tear-jerking story that inspired millions of internet users.

TikTok user Chanelle's cat suffered a terrible blow when she lost her kittens on March 24. What she did next though is somehow both incredibly sweet and a little heartbreaking.

A video shows the bereaved kitty with a new group of fuzzballs to care for: puppies! In the clip, the feline cuddles with a whole litter of pups and grooms them like a true momma.

Chanelle explained in the captions that her cat wanted to cuddle with the puppies right after losing her own babies. At first, the pet owner was worried that the tiny pooches might get hurt, so she decide to keep them apart.

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But as soon as the TikToker let the beautiful charcoal Bengal connect with the newborns, it quickly became clear that something special was happening: a cross-species adoption! Now every night, the cat cuddles up with her little ones, while their real mother sleeps with her owner.

So much for dogs and cats supposedly hating each other!

While it makes for an amazing story, a cat parenting puppies isn't that out of character.

Animal expert Sarah-Jane White told Newsweek, "There are a variety of reasons why a cat might choose to care for an offspring that isn't its own. It is thought that the cat may be trying to fill a maternal role, or it may simply enjoy the companionship of a young animal."

And she continued, "Whatever the reason, it is clear that cats are capable of forming strong bonds with animals other than their own offspring."

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That bond is there for all to see in other videos posted on TikTok by Chanelle, who also addressed the many questions users posed in the comments.

This is one big, happy family now, which just goes to show that even the saddest of situations can lead to something beautiful!