An unlikely pairing: Harley the bulldog becomes best friends with Tigger the Kitten who was abandoned in a church
- Bulldog Harley has even started producing milk to feed him
- Harley is unable to have pups because of a tumour on her spine
- Meanwhile German shepherd Kya can't get near Tigger
By ULLA KLOSTER
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Usually this pair would be at each other's throats.
But orphaned kitten Tigger has found an unlikely surrogate mother in grumpy bulldog Harley.
The two year-old dog is keeping a close eye on her tiny ginger charge - so much so she has even started producing milk to feed him.
Sleeping tight: Bulldog Harley and Tigger the kitten (pictured) have become inseparable. Harley even makes space for Tigger when taking an afternoon nap
An unlikely bond: The British Bulldog pictured washing his best friend Tigger. The two are virtually inseperable
Their unlikely bond developed when Tigger, who is just two weeks old, was found alone and abandoned in a church.
He was handed in to Arvonia Vets in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where trainee nurse Clare Evans fell for him on the spot.
Evans took him home and was amazed when her pet dog Harley, who is unable to have pups herself because of a tumour on her spine, adopted the role of surrogate mum.
Evans, 37, who has three sons, said: 'From the moment I took Tigger back to mine Harley completely tried to take over the care of him.
Like cat and dog: Harley and orphaned Tigger spend most of their time together. Tigger, who is just two weeks old, was found alone and abandoned in a church
'She washes him and lets him cuddle up, and now she’s producing milk and feeding him.
'She can be quite a moody so-and-so and I never thought she would be this way with him.'
Whenever Harley is around Tigger buries himself into her flaps of skin to keep warm.
Clare Evans, who works for Arvonia Vets in the Reddings, fell for Tigger on the spot. Pictured here with the kitten and bulldog Harley
In return her new mum stands in the way of curious approaches from Evans’s other dogs - a male mastiff called Yogi and Kya, a female German shepherd.
Yogi, however, is also getting parental and has started giving Tigger a protective lick to keep him clean.
Evans added: 'Yogi has given him a few baths, but even then Harley will stand very close.
'Yogi sort of acts like a father towards Tigger, so I’m pretty sure that kitten will grow up rather confused.
'Kya meanwhile can’t get anywhere near Tigger at all.'
Harley and Tigger are set to keep their bond for life, even after Tigger leaves for a new home.
Evans’s parents Christine and Alan have agreed to take him in. They live right next door.
She said: 'We thought it would be too distressing to separate them completely and my boys were quite taken and didn’t want to lose him either.
'They are thrilled nan and granddad have decided to take him in.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2360572/Harley-bulldog-best-friends-Tigger-Kitten-abandoned-church.html#ixzz2Ym0S8Eqs
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