A family's surprise after stumbling upon their four secret lodgers—a group of kittens that had been living in their garden—has delighted viewers online.

Maria Harrison, who is based in Cheshire, England, woke up to the unexpected sight in her garden a few weeks ago. She later shared a heartwarming video to Instagram on August 8, under @pecanandmaple, which recounted her discovery of the female cat and her four kittens living in her backyard. The video, which has been liked more than 46,900 times, captured the family peeking out of their garden window to witness the adorable felines lounging on a trampoline.

"Me and my fiance recently bought our first home together," Harrison told Newsweek. "Last month, we discovered that a local cat had left its home and given birth to four gorgeous kittens in our elderly neighbor's garden, and they had been living together in the bushes."

Despite having never owned cats, the couple took it upon themselves to provide comfort and shelter for the cat and her four kittens living under the radar on the edge of their garden.

"We quickly did lots of research and bought kitten food, a little shelter for them to live in, some flea treatment, and took care of them," Harrison said.

The couple quickly embraced their new guests with enthusiasm. Even their pet rabbits, Maple and Pecan, whom viewers were able to see peering curiously at their new housemates in the video, warmed up to the five felines.

The family soon discovered that the father of the kittens was a rare stray Bengal cat, while the mother feline had owners who were relieved and thrilled to learn about their pet's safe return.

"One of the little kittens stole our hearts in particular, as he would never leave our sides and just wanted so much love and attention," Harrison said.

That kitten, now named Cashew, quickly became a permanent member of the family.

"We took him to the vets, had him chipped, vaccinated and treated for worms and fleas," Harrison added.

Viewers on Instagram were able to see Cashew's gradual integration into his new home, with the video ending with a clip of him licking Harrison's hand—a known sign of affection in the animal world.

Cashew wasn't the only kitten to find a loving home; Harrison's cousin soon adopted one of the four strays, naming him Tommy, while a local nurse adopted the remaining two kittens together.

The mother cat has since been spayed and has returned to her owners. Meanwhile, the Harrison family continues to introduce Cashew with their rabbits.

"We are taking baby steps to introduce Cashew to Maple and Pecan, by swapping blankets and having 'play dates'," Harrison said. "But it's going well so far, and they're happy to sit on the sofa having cuddles together."

She added: "It's happily ever after!"

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