MEOWING MIX KITTENS CLIMB ON DACHSHUND FAMILY TREE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - When a fourth-grader zipped 3-day-old kittens into his school binder and brought them to show at school, the teacher who found them was sure they were going to die.

Then Vickie Bain took them in - little expecting that the kittens' care would be taken over by her 9-year-old dachshund, Josie.

``She just began cleaning them and letting them nurse, even though she's been spayed and can't produce milk,'' Bain said. ``She thinks they're her puppies.''

The kittens' travels began when a boy found them in a vacant house on his way to school. He threw a rock at the mother cat to chase her away and then zipped all four kittens into his binder.

At school, the boy showed them to another student, who told teacher Irva McDougald.

McDougald, also co-owner of Reigning Cats & Dogs in Palmdale, called Bain, who helps out at the grooming and boarding kennel. Bain picked up the dehydrated kittens and began bottle-feeding them.

After three days, Bain was holding the kittens on her bed when she called her dachshund to jump up. Bain wanted to see the dog's reaction and was amazed when Josie began licking the kittens and playing mother to them.

Since then, the kittens have been sleeping in Josie's pen at night. Josie had motherhood experience before she was spayed. She is the mother of several champions, including the 1999 standard long-hair world champion dachshund Flame, shown by McDougald. Josie has proven an excellent mom to kittens, too.

After Halloween, the kittens will be available at Reigning Cats & Dogs for adoption by people who will promise to keep them indoors.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color in AV edition only) Mama dog Josie keeps watch as a friend of her owner holds two of the kittens the 9-year-old dachshund has adopted.

(2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Pet lover Vickie Bain hugs her dog Josie as four kittens nuzzle up to the 9-year-old long-hair dachshund that adopted them.

(3 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Furry kittens with tiny claws snooze contentedly in a heap by Josie the dachshund.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer