Will you be my mommy? Footage captures domesticated cat playing with and feeding adopted baby LYNX after its own mother rejected it

  • Worker at Novosibirsk Zoo noticed lynx was not being cared for by mother
  • She brought in her own cat from home, which had just given birth to kittens
  • Nika the lynx is now eating better and will soon outgrow her foster mother

By Jake Polden For Mailonline

Published: 12:45 EST, 31 July 2015 | Updated: 16:50 EST, 31 July 2015

A domesticated cat has adopted a baby lynx after its own mother refused to feed it.

A worker at the Novosibirsk Zoo in the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, noticed that the young lynx Nika was not being correctly cared for by its mother.

The lynx had refused to feed the cub because it was the runt of the litter and the zoo needed to find an innovative solution for the problem.

The mother of the young lynx refused to feed her cub because it was the runt of the litter so a zoo worker brought in her pet cat to help solve the problem

The mother of the young lynx refused to feed her cub because it was the runt of the litter so a zoo worker brought in her pet cat to help solve the problem

An employee at the zoo then decided that she would bring her cat into work with her to act as a surrogate mother.

Her cat had recently given birth to kittens and it was hoped that the feline would adopt the little lynx as a part of her own brood.

Captured on camera, the domesticated cat can be seen tending to the lynx – despite almost being the same size as it.

The cat grooms the top of the lynx’s head as a number of visitors to the zoo take photographs of the unique sight.

Motherly love! The cat had recently given birth to kittens and adopted the little lynx as a part of her own brood

Motherly love! The cat had recently given birth to kittens and adopted the little lynx as a part of her own brood

Growing up! Nika the lynx is now eating better and growing fast and will soon outgrow her foster mother

Growing up! Nika the lynx is now eating better and growing fast and will soon outgrow her foster mother

Caught on camera: the lynx is filmed playing with a tennis ball and feeding alongside its surrogate mother

Caught on camera: the lynx is filmed playing with a tennis ball and feeding alongside its surrogate mother

Later in the clip the duo eat together before the lynx is filmed playing with a tennis ball on its own.

Nika is now eating better and growing fast and will soon outgrow her foster mother.

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