From a young age, we have all been taught a phrase that involves curiosity and a cat. Yes, we were taught that shoving our noses into a situation that didn’t involve us will probably always end badly and that we should all focus on our own business. But have you ever wondered what this kind of curiosity really does to an actual cat?
Well, it seems as though our feline friends aren’t any less curious than us, and one particular cat warmed all of our hearts when his instinctive nature found him in an unlikely position. After discovering a baby out in the cold, this cat did something totally unexpected that will forever go down in history. Maybe cats and curiosity aren’t such a bad mix after all.
A curious cat
Cats are present in millions of homes across the globe, and for good reason. Even if they sometimes scratch our furniture too much, make a mess, and give us terrible allergies – we still love them.
Unlike dogs, cats don’t tend to be the warmest of pets, as they’re usually a bit stand-offish and sometimes even a little mean. But apparently, they can be loyal to their home, and to people, more than we ever thought possible. Perhaps this is why one curious cat just couldn’t walk away when she heard a baby crying.
An unlikely friendship
Masha the cat knew that she had to do something to help because the baby was clearly in distress. The thought of running away and charging in the opposite direction of the crying didn’t even cross her mind, because she knew she couldn’t leave the child.
Instead, she knew she had to help in one way or another – which is why this story is so incredible. It tells the tale of an unlikely hero and an instinctive bond between animals and humans.
A friendly neighbor
However, to truly understand this story we need to know a little more about where it all took place and who was involved. Namely, a Russian woman called Irina Lavrova.
As a resident of Obninsk, Russia, Irina has spent a huge part of her life living in a large apartment block surrounded by many of her friends and acquaintances. Yet, not all of the residents are human. This area is also home to a cat named Masha, who takes up residence in the entrance hall.
Long-term resident
It’s believed that Masha first made her way into the apartment building in 2012, and loved it so much that she just didn’t want to leave. Luckily, none of the residents had any problems with the fact that they had a new feline addition to their building.
They knew how cold it could get outside, and they wanted the cat to be as safe and as happy as possible. Because of this, they would make sure Masha was given food and water, and acknowledged with strokes and greetings when they walked past.
A horrific noise
Masha lived a perfect life in the apartment building for around three years before something upset her daily antics in 2015. Masha was a relatively quiet cat and kept to herself, which is why the surrounding residents were so surprised and upset to hear Masha crying and meowing at the top of her lungs.
One particular resident thought that Masha was being harmed in some way, and immediately left her apartment to see what was really going on. She ran down the stairs to find Masha, and was quickly followed by someone else.
Joining ranks
This resident wasn’t the only one to hear Masha’s intense cries. Irina, the cat’s owner, also heard the piercing noise from her apartment and knew something was wrong. Masha was such a huge part of her life; she just couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she was hurt or injured in any way.
So, Lavrova followed the other resident and made her way downstairs to where Masha normally slept, to find her sitting there and making noise. Soon, the two realized that Masha wasn’t alone…
A new addition
The two residents stared at each other for a few seconds while they took in the scene in front of them. There was Masha in her normal spot looking up at them, but there was also a new addition next to her.
Lying behind the garbage shoot and inside the box that Masha usually used as a bed was a baby! The residents were overwhelmed and had no idea what was going on, especially as Masha seemed to be protecting the baby, that seemed to have been abandoned there and was clearly distressed.
Keeping it warm
For some reason, Masha heard the baby crying and decided to take on responsibility for the abandoned child. Instead of hissing at him or scaring him, she decided to look after the baby as if it were her own, and make sure that he was okay.
Not only did she lay down next to the baby to keep him warm, but her presence also seemed to soothe the child as it stopped crying as soon as she made her way into the bed. Lavrova and the other resident of the building were utterly shocked, and couldn’t believe the sight that was in front of them.
In shock
After the event, Lavrova was interviewed by a Russian television network by the name of RT. During this interview, she was asked about what her initial reaction was when she first saw Masha curled up next to an abandoned baby.
She confessed that she was incredibly overwhelmed and had no idea what to do at first. It wasn’t until she really looked at the situation that she realized Masha had actually been keeping the baby warm for hours and trying to get the attention of the people around her.
A young child
Amazingly, Masha had been able to keep the young child shielded from the harsh conditions outside, and she may have even saved the baby’s life. While those around Masha were incredibly impressed with her and her life-saving techniques, they were also incredibly worried about the child.
Was he okay? How long had it been there? Where were his parents? Lavrova could see that the baby was incredibly young. He was not a newborn, but he was perhaps around three months old and still vulnerable to the outside world.
A few supplies
However, the baby had not been abandoned by himself. Lavrova noticed that a few supplies had been left beside the young boy. Whoever had left the child there had made sure that they would be okay for a few days, as there were diapers, a bottle of milk, and even a few items of clothing in a bag next to him.
Although Lavrova was grateful for the supplies, these items just made Lavrova even more upset. If someone had gone to this much trouble to leave the baby with supplies, they had definitely planned to abandon the child, when they could’ve dropped him off somewhere safe instead.
Calling for help
When Lavrova and the other resident finally snapped out of their reverie and understood what was really going on in front of them, they knew that they had to do something. Masha had called for help, and they needed to as well. So, they decided to call the police and the paramedics.
They knew the authorities would know what to do with the abandoned child, but they also wanted to make sure that the baby was healthy. However, they didn’t anticipate the fact that Masha would be quite so protective of the baby.
Following the leader
In fact, Masha did not want the baby to leave her sight. She had grown incredibly fond of the infant and wanted to ensure that it was wouldn’t be harmed in any way. Because of this, Masha followed the baby wherever it was taken.
When one of the paramedics took the child to the ambulance to give him a check-up, Masha followed closely behind. Not only this, but he also meowed at the ambulance until she saw the baby with her own eyes again.
Ready to go
However, Masha’s nurturing side didn’t end there. The ambulance crew decided that it would be best to take the abandoned baby to the hospital to give him a real once-over and give him somewhere safe and warm to stay until they could find a place for him to live.
As soon as the ambulance started to drive away, Masha ran after it. No matter how hard she tried to keep up, she just couldn’t maintain the same speed as the ambulance. She eventually had to stop her pursuit, but she wasn’t done just yet.
An intelligent cat
Those who were on the scene could tell that Masha was a highly intelligent cat. She knew what was going on and she knew that the baby needed help – this cat wasn’t going to rest until she knew her new friend was safe.
In fact, residents of the apartment building confirmed that Masha sat by the road for hours after the baby was taken away. It was almost as if she was waiting for him to return safe and sound so that she could continue to look after him.
The check-up
When the baby got to the hospital, he was immediately taken to the children’s ward to be looked over. The doctors gave him a thorough check-up to see if he had been affected by the cold weather, but Masha had been able to keep him as warm as possible while he was outside in the open.
A spokesperson for the local hospital later spoke to a news agency and confirmed that the baby boy was going to be fine and had no injuries in any way from his ordeal.
A motherly instinct
Although Lavrova and the other residents were over the moon to learn that the little boy was going to be okay, they couldn’t help but feel a bit confused. Why had the baby been abandoned in the first place?
The person who left the child had no idea that Masha would be on hand to look after him with her motherly instinct, which means that the baby would have been left out in the cold with nothing else for comfort. They praised the efforts of Masha and credited the baby’s life to her heroic behavior.
A long search
As soon as the hospital staff and Lavrova heard that the baby was safe and well, they immediately got stuck into their next job. They needed to find his parents, or search for someone who had any idea where he had come from.
The authorities did everything they could to try and track down his biological parents, but ultimately struggled to find any clues towards his past. In fact, the only thing they could be sure of was that Masha was a hero for saving the life of the baby.
Spoiled rotten
Since this incredible event, Masha has been treated like a celebrity. Those who live in the apartment block are incredibly proud of the fact that she not only looked after the baby, but she also did everything she could to ensure that he was as safe as he could possibly be even after the authorities arrived.
Because of this, the residents decided to spoil her rotten and pay her even more attention than they already did. She was part of the family, and they would always be proud of her.
A helping hand
As soon as the other residents of the building heard of the new discovery, they all banded together once again. Masha had become such a huge part of their lives they also wanted to help the baby she had saved.
Because of this, they all decided to lend a helping hand. They offered up spare food, spare clothing, and even spare toys that their own children had outgrown to make sure that the baby got the best second chance at life after receiving such a poor start.
An incredible story
Although there is still no news on whether the parents of the baby have been found or whether he has been adopted into a new home, there’s no denying that this is an incredible story.
Although Masha found herself in a new and scary circumstance when she walked in on a crying baby, she did everything she could to ensure that the little guy was okay. She didn’t run away, and she certainly didn’t fight back. Instead, Masha saved that baby’s life and gave it a new chance at happiness.
Hailed as a hero
Everyone seems to agree that if Masha had not been there to keep the baby warm, then it’s certain the baby would have likely been killed by the harsh weather conditions of a Russian winter. After all, babies in particular need to be kept warm to stay healthy.
Even the doctors have said the baby wouldn’t have had a chance. Locals, as well as those who heard the story, have hailed Masha as a hero for the tremendous way she made sure the baby boy stayed safe.
Fan club
When people learned of the incredible thing that Masha had done, they were in shock. But they were also so happy to hear that Masha had saved the baby.
Once the story broke, it didn’t take long before people from the local community, and even all over Russia, were inquiring about Masha’s status. Was she available for adoption? Could others help her? Masha had quite the fan club, and people couldn’t help but fawn over her.
Wanting to adopt
Masha wasn’t the only one that people wanted to know about when the story broke. People also wanted to know what was going to happen to the baby boy that she had saved. Was his family found? Was someone planning to adopt him?
These are just some of the questions people had. Many even inquired into adopting the baby for themselves, and had been completely won over by his adorable picture and resilience. This baby definitely had a lot of love waiting for him in the future.
Will the parents be found?
The big question on everyone’s mind was, what about the baby’s parents? Where were they, and would they ever be found? No one seemed to be coming forward to claim the baby as their own, and there wasn’t much to go on.
Nevertheless, abandoning a child, especially a baby, and leaving them helpless to the elements is a pretty serious crime. The police launched an investigation in order to try to locate the person who left the baby, but no one was expecting much to come from it.
Possible answers
For many people, it’s unfathomable to think of leaving a child outside alone, especially a baby as young as this. People wanted answers as to why the baby’s parents might have left him in Masha’s box.
Some have speculated that it’s possible the baby’s parents felt that they were unable to take care of him, but had been too scared to take him to the hospital or an agency. Some have also wondered if they had known that Masha would watch out for the baby and alert someone to his presence.
Instincts?
What Masha did to protect the baby boy was pretty incredible, and it makes you wonder how Masha knew what to do. Some believe that it must have been instinctual, perhaps even her maternal instincts. Cats are known to have strong maternal instincts to their kittens, but that’s not all.
There have been lots of stories of cats nursing other baby animals who have been abandoned. Additionally, there have also been studies that suggest that even after time has past since a cat gave birth, or if they’ve been spayed, a cat still retains their maternal instincts.
Media sensation
It’s not everyday that you hear about an abandoned baby being saved by a cat. After the baby boy was brought to the hospital, it didn’t take long before the local media picked up the story. Pretty soon, Masha and heroic tale were a media sensation.
There are frequently so many negative stories in the news these days, and people loved that there was finally something positive to share. But Masha’s story didn’t just stop there.
International star
The story of Masha saving the small baby may have begun in Obninsk, Russia, but it didn’t stay there. After the local media began putting out the story it was soon spread around the rest of the country, and after that it began to make it’s way around the world.
Masha has become an international star, and people all over the globe have heard of her. Her story has been shared in international publications such as Huffington Post, The Guardian, The New York Post, Honest to Paws, BBC, The Independent, and more.
Do babies and cats mix?
While most people have been quick to call Masha a hero, some have expressed concern over the time that baby spent cuddled up with her. Some believe that cats and babies shouldn’t mix, and that it can be potentially harmful for the baby to be around cats.
While it’s true that if a cat has certain diseases, or their feces are near the baby’s things, it could be unhealthy, there is no reason why someone can’t have their feline friend and a baby. In fact, many get along famously. Just be sure to take precautions.
Heroic animals
When it comes to heroes, animals may not be the first thing that pops into our minds, but Masha has certainly proven that we probably should. Masha is not the only animal to become famous for her heroic deeds.
Over the years we have seen some incredible animal heroes including dogs, horses, and even other cats. This cat pictured below was rewarded for her heroic efforts in saving a young boy from a vicious dog attack. You never know when you might need a cat’s help!
Oblivious to his heroics
Perhaps the funniest thing about this story is that the cat has no idea he’s being hailed around the world as a hero. He’s only a cat, and he can’t comprehend what it means – at least not in the same way that we do.
Cats definitely know what it means to be the center of attention, because that’s just a natural thing. But being called a “hero” is a complex thing to understand, and perhaps is more for us than it is for the cat. But here’s why we find that so beautiful.
The best leaders
They say that the best leaders are the ones who don’t ask for it. Perhaps this also works when it comes to the idea of heroes. The cat wasn’t thinking about glory when he saved that little baby who so desperately needed saving.
He wasn’t thinking about pride, or fame, or power, or glory. These are things that humans think about. All the cat cared about was saving the child, or at least helping him out. In many ways, this is why he deserves all the credit.
Diamonds in the rough
In life, it’s sometimes hard to tell who’s genuine and who’s not. We don’t always know the true motive behind people’s actions. Sometimes a person will do something kind for someone, but they weren’t necessarily doing it because they wanted to help them – they just wanted the reward.
These type of things are quite often hard to dissect, but that’s why when you meet someone you can truly trust you better hold on to them dearly!
Heartbreaking but grateful
We still don’t know whether the baby was reunited with his family or not, and to be honest, the fact that he was abandoned is still pretty painful to swallow. It’s hard to comprehend that an innocent baby would be left out alone like that, with no one to take care of him.
But the one silver lining is that thanks to this cat, he was saved. Thanks to the cat, this baby can potentially be adopted one day. This baby can make two parents extremely happy.
Great future potential
And to take things even further, any good thing that may happen to this baby in the future gets credited to the cat. Consider it like royalty payments. Because if it wasn’t for Masha, the baby might never have survived, and that’s what makes this story nothing short of incredible.
Hearts around the world are now overjoyed, and to be honest, we wouldn’t be surprised if this adorable baby gets adopted right away because of it.
