A Goldendoodle named Ted has officially earned one of the cutest titles imaginable after stepping in to babysit five tiny kittens while their exhausted mama cat took a well-deserved break.
Ted, affectionately nicknamed the “Dogfather,” has become an unexpected helper to Junie, an orange cat who was taken in after being found pregnant and living as a stray.
Junie eventually gave birth to five kittens, and while she is clearly a devoted mom, raising that many babies can be exhausting.
Thankfully, she has Ted.
In an adorable video shared by the family, Junie can be seen curled up with her kittens before deciding it is finally time to step away and enjoy her dinner.
That’s when Ted takes over.
The gentle Goldendoodle carefully checks on the tiny kittens, sniffing them one by one and giving them affectionate little licks.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
He appears completely focused on his new responsibility.
And when one adventurous kitten starts trying to climb away from the group, Ted gently uses his nose to guide the little escape artist back toward the others.
No barking.
No rough play.
Just one very serious babysitter making sure everyone stays where they belong.
Viewers immediately fell in love with the unlikely arrangement.
One person joked that the way Junie walked away from her babies seemed to say, “Thank god I got help.”
It’s hard to disagree.
The sweetest moment may come when Junie finally returns.
Ted greets the mama cat with what looks like a little nod and kiss, almost as though he is reporting that all five kittens are still present and accounted for.
The trust between the two animals is especially touching considering Junie’s story.
She was once a pregnant stray searching for somewhere safe to have her babies.
Now she has a home, a family and apparently her own canine co-parent.
Commenters couldn’t resist giving Ted credit for stepping up.
“He isn’t their biological father, but he is the father that stepped up,” one viewer joked.
Another put it even more simply: “He isn’t the stepdad; he’s the dad that stepped up.”
Ted’s job probably isn’t going to get any easier.
As the kittens grow, they’re becoming more curious, more mobile and much more interested in exploring everything around them.
Keeping track of five tiny cats may soon require all of the Dogfather’s attention.
But judging by how comfortable Junie is leaving her babies with him, she clearly believes Ted is up to the challenge.