After being abandoned by their mom, these two kitties find love and comfort with foster dog

When cats live on the street, being rescued can lead to a lot of stress. Especially if you're a young cat with a litter of newborn kittens. For one such kitty, the stress was too much. Sadly, she quit taking care of her babies and in fact was a danger to them.

A year ago in Portland, Oregon, Rhonda, an experienced foster mom, took in the momma and her kittens from a shelter. Unfortunately, the mother cat didn't take care of her babies, and one at a time they started dying. Finally there were only two left. After the momma was returned to the shelter alone, Rhonda and her dog saved the lives of the two remaining kittens.

Pinto Bean (on the right) and Cocoa Bean (on the left) had to be bottle fed to eat and they spent all their time snuggling up together. But Cocoa Bean seemed to miss his mother's presence drastically. He began to fade.

Fortunately, help was at hand. "I had a secret weapon: a 50 pound heat source named Zuca," Ronda said. When Cocoa Bean was placed next to Zuca, things began to turn around. The black pit bull mix is used to helping Rhonda raise kittens, so she knew how to nurture the fragile kitten.

Cocoa Bean was given a new lease on life with the ministrations of the gentle dog. Rhonda is entirely satisfied that Zuca saved the kittens' lives.

Both little Beans loved Zuca, but Cocoa Bean seemed to really attach to her. Of course, the two brothers were inseparable from the start and when they weren't with the dog, they turned into a two-kitten cuddle puddle.

The day Cocoa Bean started cleaning his toes was the day Rhonda knew he would make it.

Both kittens started growing and learning to play as all kittens love to do. They were so bonded that Rhonda knew when the day came for them to be adopted, they would need to stay together.

Naturally, they would miss their surrogate mom, but together they would be fine.

The day they went to their "furever" home, they went as one package. And one of the first things they did was curl up in their new mom's lap and purr her a love song.

Now a solid year has passed and Cocoa Bean and Pinto Bean are grown into gorgeous, happy cats. Their family is forever grateful to Rhonda for giving these brothers everything they needed when it seemed all was lost. And in case you are wondering, their momma was spayed and found a lovely new home of her own.

People like Rhonda deserve accolades. Without fosterers, many hapless animals would lead tragic lives and suffer even more grievous deaths. Perhaps you could be one of those people who shares your life with a needy, four-footed soul. Watch the video, share it with your friends, and then call your local shelter or rescue group. Be the person your own pet thinks you are!