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By Maria Azzurra Volpe
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A woman who rescued a cat feared the feline might not get along with her dog—then she saw them interacting with each other, and their immediate bond caught her by surprise.
In a viral TikTok video shared on Tuesday under the username @gingerfrecklez, the pup and his new feline sibling can be seen sharing his medium-sized dog bed, kissing and grooming each other, grateful to be living together.
"When you were worried about your dog getting along with the cat you adopted and then this happens," the caption says. "I think we are going to need a bigger bed…"
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Despite historically being portrayed as mortal enemies, cats and dogs don’t always hate each other; in fact, most of the time, the opposite is true.
A study carried out by Italian scientists and published in 2020 in the journal PLOS ONE surveyed 1,270 pet owners who own both a cat and a dog and found that the two can easily cohabit without much conflict.
Findings from the study showed that over 64 percent of the cats and dogs living together also played together; 58 percent chased each other; and 41 percent fought. Almost two-thirds of the pets sometimes playfully "ambushed" each other.
The key to a friendly relationship between the two species is their introduction, which should be done slowly and carefully to create positive experiences and reduce stress for both animals.
Experts at Pet MD say the process can take several weeks or even months, depending on the pets’ personalities and comfort levels.
The first step is keeping the feline in a separate safe room so it can adjust to the new environment without direct contact with the dog. Next, allow the pets to become familiar with each other’s scent by rotating them through different areas of the house and letting them sniff items such as bedding.
Once they are comfortable with the sounds and smells, the animals can begin seeing each other through a barrier such as a pet gate. These brief sessions should include treats or play to build positive associations.
After that, controlled face-to-face meetings can occur with the canine on a leash. Gradually increase interaction time while monitoring body language. Eventually, supervision can be reduced as both animals become comfortable together.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 314,000 views and almost 50,000 likes on the platform.
One user, Monikathemedium, wrote: "They were like see! I said I’d find you in another lifetime."
Miss Sparrow said: "This is just so beautiful…makes me want to cry."
Another user, FishinFool82, added: "We don’t deserve animals!!"
Newsweek reached out to @gingerfrecklez for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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