Lurlene the cat treated Noland the pit bull puppy like one of her own kittens after day-old dog was found abandoned in garage The Cleveland Animal protective League helped keep puppy Noland alive last June by having him nurse off a cat mother named Lurlene Noland survived and the heartwarming story helped the nonprofit win a $25,000 grant from Petco Pit bulls have a reputation for being aggressive fighters, but one cat named Lurlene proved that with a little love, nurture can overcome nature. Lurlene took in an abandoned day-old pit bull puppy named Noland found by the Cleveland Animal Protective League last June. Abandoned by its mother and covered in flies in a garage, the newborn didn't have much chance of survival without somewhere to nurse and keep warm. Luckily, Lurlene took Noland under her paw and treated him no differently than her three kittens. Foster mom: Lurlene the cat took in Noland the pit bull last June when the day-old puppy was found abandoned by its mother Cat-dog: Noland grew up alongside three of Lurlene's kittens and was treated just the same - even learning how to use the litter box This touching story of inter-species adoption helped the nonprofit win a $25,000 grant from the Petco Foundation . The foundation received more than 4,500 applications, and the APL was one of the 33 winners announced Thursday. 'Truly, Noland and Lurlene's story encompasses everything we do at the APL - protecting animals from cruelty and neglect, staff members and volunteers working together to nurse them back to health, finding them wonderful new homes, and learning from them about the power of forgiveness and unconditional love and acceptance,' HAPL Director Sharon Harvey told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Lurlene and Noland story first made headlines when the puppy was found last June. 'We were a little concerned that Noland would get to be too big and rough for his less robust feline family, but Lurlene had things under control and it didn't take the kittens long to learn how to put him in his place,' Harvey and APL director of development, Judy Hunter, wrote to Petco. Actually, Noland blended in with the family so well, he was even found using the litter box a few times. Continuing the happy story: Lurlene and Noland's heartwarming story helped earn the Cleveland APL $25,000 in a Petco foundation grant When Noland was finally big enough to be placed with a family, he had grown to 18 pounds Since Noland was a little bigger than his kitten siblings, staff supplemented Lurlene's milk with bottle feeding. Growing up, he spent nine hours a day with his 'cat family' and then went home with a staff member in the evening, who bottle-fed him and monitored him overnight. When Noland got bigger, he was put in a foster home with a litter of puppies his own age and learned more about being a dog. Lurlene's nursing helped Noland grow strong and big and by the time he was adopted by a family - he had drown to 18 pounds.