Taking care of your offspring is a real job without any breaks, weekends, or vacations. Unconditional love and unlimited patience unite mothers from all over the world. But animal mothers aren’t that different from human ones. They have to overcome many struggles too since kittens and puppies require just as much attention as human babies.

Bright Side knows for sure that our four-legged friends also worry about their babies, take care of them, and get tired of their pranks. And we have prepared some pictures to prove it.

1. Motherhood can consume all of you.

2. “I rescued these puppies off the street and my dog immediately became a mother to them.”

3. You can admire your own child forever.

4. It’s not easy to be a mother of 9 puppies.

5. “My sweet baby, I’m here.”

6. It’s a sacred duty to help your baby take their first steps.

7. “I’m sorry, but he’s mine.”

9. Being a mom can be a bit scary.

10. Sometimes you have to try twice.

11. “The mother and the father are watching their puppies while we’re cleaning up some space for them.”

12. The soundest sleep is next to your children.

13. All mothers are the same.

14. Hygiene always comes first.

16. Maternal instinct is a powerful thing.

17. “It has only been a couple of weeks, but this baby has already grown up so much.”

18. “They said: “You should have your own kids.”

19. Playing with your kids is so much fun.

22. “My cat’s reaction to having kittens for the first time.”

23. “What do you know about patience?”

24. When you woke up at 4 a.m. to feed your baby:

25. “My cousin’s wife is a vet. Today, she helped this cutie give birth.”

© Hugo Coutinho / Twitter

Have you already experienced motherhood? How would you finish the phrase “Being a mom means…”?