Although the phrase “fighting like cats and dogs” is commonplace, there’s a heartwarming reality: these furry babies can actually be the best of friends!
Yes, you heard it right. Contrary to popular belief, cats and dogs aren’t inherently frenemies. More often than not, they can become inseparable friends who love spending time together, enjoy each other’s company, and even snuggle up for naps.
If you still aren’t convinced, let me introduce you to an adorable kitten named Kangaroo and a sweet puppy named Possum – an incredible duo who stuck together through the toughest times of their lives.
Runts of the Litter
When a foster carer named Emilie Rackovan, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, heard about a litter of puppies in need of a loving home, she immediately set out to find them perfect fosters.
“The mom was brought to my local animal control while in active labor and gave birth to two puppies on the way, and the other six once she was at the shelter. Since the shelter isn’t a great place to raise babies, they asked if I could take her,” Rackovan shared with Newsweek.
Rackovan found a loving human eager to take them in. However, upon arrival, she noticed that Possum, one of the puppies, was much smaller than the rest.
“Possum was about a third of the size of the others and very skinny, so I took her in as a bottle baby. The goal was to reunite her with the rest of the puppies, but she’s still so small. So we’ll see if I can reunite them once she grows a bit more,” she added.
Coincidentally, Kangaroo, the kitten, had a similar story.
“Kangaroo is from a litter of seven kittens. I’m fostering the mom and babies. Mom gave birth to them in a stray cat colony caretaker’s garage, which also isn’t a great place to raise babies! I trapped mom and took her and the kittens for foster,” Rackovan stated.
Caring for runts of litters isn’t easy. Baby animals are extremely vulnerable, with runts having weaker immune systems and a higher likelihood of congenital defects. They demand close attention, lots of support, and care from their foster parents.
Best Friends Forever
As she cared for these two sweet babies, Rackovan decided to introduce them, hoping they would get along and become best friends.
“Neither wanted to be alone, and they would cry and cry, so I tried putting them together. They immediately became inseparable,” she stated happily.
As soon as the two met, they snuggled up and fell asleep. Now, the only time they cry is to alert their foster that it’s lunchtime.
As time passed, Kangaroo and Possum grew bigger and healthier, allowing them to finally return to their moms and siblings. Rackovan is confident that these sweet babies will find loving forever homes in due time. She hopes their story will inspire humans to realize just how incredible animals truly are.
So, next time you see a cat and a dog snuggling up together, remember that friendships know no species.
