Becoming a mom is such an amazing and strange thing when you think about it, that it becomes hard to really explain how it feels. The impact of having children would change anybody’s life and the animal kingdom is no exception to this rule. The maternal instinct is very powerful. There is nothing more moving than seeing a cat, dog, or bird feeding and protecting its offspring. As we look at them, we may wonder what they feel, since their expressions show complete love and dedication (even if the children are of another species).

And because, at Bright Side, we know that a picture is worth a thousand words (especially when we’re talking about something so special that is hard to explain, like motherhood), we compiled some of the images of animal moms who adopted or gave birth to and raised their babies without any sort of distinction. Believe us, there’s no way to not go, “Aawwww” with this one.

1. When reality hits expectation:

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2. “My cat recently had kittens, her face is priceless.”

4. These 3 tawny frogmouth birds tho…

5. “Daughter and mother, 19 and 20”

6. “The protective shells of a baby Pangolin are very soft when they are young, so the mothers curl around their bodies to protect them. ♥”

7. “My cat brought this kitten to my house a few days ago, and now they look like mother and daughter. I’m totally in love with them <3.”

8. “Mother & pup Dachshund, Doxie, Weiner, Sausage, or Hot Dog. Cute as heck…”

9. “This scene of mother and daughter made my day! ♥️ They are both Gir cattle, mostly found in Gujarat, India.”

10. “Bea had 2 kittens after wandering up to me at a colony and asking me to take her home. The other 3 were found next to a pool and surrendered to my vet. She loves them all equally and they are growing fast!”

11. “Mom and baby in my backyard —excellent picture of meal time. Great job!”

12. “Meet the new mother of 9 little baby cows!”

13. Sleeping next to mommy is the coziest spot in the world.

14. “Mother and baby deer outside my window”

15. “A mother protecting her children”

16. “Found a kitten that we named Wonton at 3 weeks old. My dog, Polly, immediately took over the mothering role. They’re inseparable.”

17. “This is how we do it.”

18. “My goat lost her mother when she was young and our llama has taken over as her surrogate mother, cuddling with her every night, and always keeping an eye on her.”

19. Dog mama and her baby look so cute! It’s like a mini version of her.

21. “Momma loves you, but she also needs to take a wee little nap.”

22. “She’s the best mom.”

Do you have any anecdotes or pictures of your pet being a mom? Show us some pictures and we might write an article that features your posts!