Most dog owners elate at the prospect of their pet cat befriending their new dog, or vice versa. But one pet parent has proven that your oldest pet may not always take kindly to the family's latest addition.
One owner has taken to Instagram to share how their cat, Olive, reacted to meeting their dog, Widget, when they first welcomed him into their home two-and-a-half years ago, and how Olive still reacts to the dog today. Spoiler alert: she was and still is less than impressed with her canine sibling, but the internet has reacted with laughter at their dynamic.
The viral video, which has been viewed more than 2.7 million times since it was first shared to Instagram on March 6 by user @hercozycrew, caught Olive's unamused expressions and stoic reactions to any effort made by Widget to play.
The video included a montage of clips that capture Widget trying to interact with Olive by nudging her with his snout, all to be rebuffed by Olive's stone-cold response.
"Do you think Olive is going to sue for emotional damage?" Carly Thomas, Widget and Olive's owner, asked below her post.
"Do you have a dog and cat? Are they besties or mortal enemies? I want to know! Although these videos (which have been taken over the span of 2.5 years) make it seems like they truly hate each other, they do get along get quite together! I wouldn't say they'll ever be best friends, but Olive tolerates him," she added.
Newsweek reached out to @hercozycrew via Instagram for comment.
Can Cats and Dogs Get Along?
Although they've been historically deemed more foes than friends, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) wrote in one of its online publications that cats and dogs can actually become friends.
According to the RSPCA, vastly different animals can become close members of a family, or at least learn to tolerate one another, if they are introduced to each other in a measured and sensible way.
This crucial first introduction should happen at a quiet time, to provide both animals with a reassuring and peaceful environment, the RSPCA says.
"Choose a quiet time when the household is calm. Avoid festivities, parties, visiting
relatives or friends, and find time to concentrate on calm reassurance for both pets," the RSPCA writes online.
Owners are then encouraged to reward both pets for responding well to meeting each other. "The cat should be given a safe position in the room, and the animals should be allowed to get used to each other gradually. This will take patience for them to become used to each other. Again, associate the presence of the cat with reward for your dog's calm behavior," the organization adds.
What Do the Comments Say?
Thomas' Instagram post has been liked by over 180,000 users and commented on more than 500 times.
"The blank stare into his soul speaks volumes. All those boops and squishes are getting to him," one user wrote.
Another user added: "I have 2 dogs and 5 cats. My black and white dog will play with the black and white cat ONLY. I don't know why."
"The most patient cat. Mine would bash her brother if he did this," a third user commented.
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Melissa Fleur Afshar is a Newsweek Life and Trends Reporter based in London, United Kingdom.
Her current focus is on trending ... Read more
