A tabby cat in Russia found itself lauded as a little hero after saving a baby from freezing to death after he was abandoned in a box out on the street, Inquisitr reported.

The long-haired tabby, Masha, found the baby in the box and crawled inside, lying down with the baby to help keep him warm. While it's unknown how long Masha curled up with the baby boy, she meowed loudly in a call for help, managing to get the attention of Irina Lavora who was taking out her trash at the time.

Masha is a neighborhood cat and Lavora said that usually the "placid and friendly" cat would come to her and say hello. When she didn't, Lavora thought she injured herself.

"You can imagine my shock when I saw her lying in a box next to a baby," she said.

Lavora added that the baby was actually well dressed and even had a few nappies and baby food with him, according to The New York Post.

"Clearly her mother instincts had taken over and she wanted to protect the child," she said.

After Lavora notified officials, the baby was taken to a local hospital, though Masha made sure she was there every step of the way, according to RT. Masha kept close to the baby until paramedics arrived and even then she didn't want to let go of the boy.

One of the paramedics, Vera Ivanina, shared, "She was so worried about where we were taking the baby. She ran right behind us, meowing."

Lavora also added that when the baby was taken, Masha followed and even "pitifully meowed," trying to jump up into the ambulance to follow the baby. She even waited hours afterwards, sitting on the road until a car brought him back.

After a checkup at one of the hospitals in Obninsk, the baby, who looked to be six to 12 weeks old, was deemed healthy, thanks to Masha.

According to Inquisitr, a hospital spokesman who was interviewed by Central European News, reportedly said, "The baby had only been outside for a few hours and thanks to Masha he was not damaged by the experience."

The people have been calling Masha a hero by the locals, and she is being rewarded handsomely for her heroic rescue, according to NYPost.

"Everyone in the block is very proud of her," Lavora shared. "We have all spoiled her rotten by giving her her favorite food."