On a cold winter evening in Obininsk, Russia, a cardboard box was lying in the hallway of a building.
Curious, Masha the resident cat, decided to take a look at the package. Inside the box, the long-haired tabby found a shivering baby boy.
The clever feline realized the baby was cold, so she climbed into the box and snuggled with the infant to warm him up. Furthermore, the puss began to meow loudly, hoping someone might find them. Luckily, someone did.
A heart-warming scene
Pensioner Irina Lavrova, a resident of the area, was on her way to the waste bins when she heard strange noises coming from the hallway. Stepping closer, she recognized a cat meowing.
Thinking the feline was in difficulty, the 68-year-old woman went down to help, nothing could prepare her for the scene she was about to witness.
At the bottom of the stairs, Masha was curled around a baby. Shocked, Irina Lavrova immediately contacted the police and the emergency services.
To Irina, Masha was no stranger. The moggy was a neighborhood cat who everyone took turns caring for. The pensioner explained to Central European News:
‘You can imagine my shock when I saw her lying in a box next to a baby. Clearly, her mothering instincts had taken over, and she wanted to protect the child. He was well-dressed with a little hat, and whoever left him here had even left a few nappies and some baby food.’
Masha is a hero
The paramedics dispatched to the site promptly examined the infant before loading him into the ambulance to transfer him to the closest hospital. By then, Masha had developed a strong maternal instinct towards the boy.
Several residents saw her trying to get into the ambulance. After the vehicle left, the sweet cat was still waiting on the road for its return.
Thankfully, the ambulance arrived at the hospital early enough to prevent the infant from suffering any long-term effects from exposure to the cold.
A doctor estimated the boy to be less than 12 weeks old. According to officials, he spent a long time in the cardboard box and would have frozen to death without Masha’s intervention.
Since the child was found, residents hailed Masha as a hero, and she’s been receiving extra love, attention, and cat treats. A city resident said:
“Everyone in the blᴏᴄk is very proud of her, we have all spoiled her rotten by giving her favorite food.”
Countless media outlets such as The Guardian relayed Masha’s heroic deed in 2015.
This story reminds us of children’s tales, except, in this case, the fairy godmother is a puss.