Florida (USA) - Alexis and her husband Bryce (both 29) are the proud parents of their 18-month-old daughter Zelda. Because their child was born blind, she was given a four-legged companion to help her.

On Reddit , Alexis and Bryce shared a touching video of the special relationship between Zelda and Wheatie.

"She's a very loving cat, even to me and my husband, but she's like a switch and can adjust to our daughter in a second," Alexis told Newsweek.

Yet Wheatie is actually quite a ferocious beast. "She's quick to hiss at visitors, lashes out and even stalks them around the house. She behaves the same way with our other two cats and the dog - sometimes even attacking them without being asked," Alexis said.

But the kitten actually seems to be quite clever. "With our daughter, who was born completely blind due to a bilateral retinal detachment, Wheatie is a completely different animal," said the US-American.

From the footage, it is clear that Wheatie seems to understand Zelda's life situation. The animal regularly looks after the child and is particularly empathetic.

The post sparked a lively discussion on Reddit and amazed numerous users. "She has turned out to be her best buddy. She sleeps in the same room with her most nights and protects her," said Alexis.

Many viewers were both touched and thrilled and shared their own experiences with the cuddly velvet paws. "Cats usually recognize a baby when they see one - even if it's not their own species. So they know they have to be gentle," wrote one user.

Zelda's parents were initially unsure how the four-year-old kitten would react to their daughter. Now they can be sure that they made the right decision.