(Newser) – Police in Argentina recently found a 1-year-old homeless boy being cared for by wild cats, the Daily Telegraph reports. A policewoman on patrol noticed an unusually large cat gathering which, on closer inspection, was surrounding the boy. Doctors believe the eight cats snuggled up to keep the child warm on cold nights that would have otherwise been fatal.

“The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter,” the officer said. “There were all these cats on top of him licking him because he was really dirty. When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me.” The cats also apparently foraged for the boy's food. Police later found his homeless father, who said cats have always been protective of his son. (Read more cat stories.)

