Cat Comforts Dog Suffering With Anxiety While Owners Are Away: 'Precious'

A black cat has been filmed comforting an anxious golden retriever while their owners were away. Footage of the feline repeatedly attending to the worried pooch was shared to Reddit by their owner, posting under the handle Aerial_Engage. On the clip, the cat, called Nova, can be seen trying to calm the dog, Simba, who was evidently missing their human companions. The encounters were captured on a security camera set up to keep tabs on the pets while their owners were away. Simba and Nova were being looked after by a dog sitter living nearby, but it was decided that they would sleep in the home they are most familiar and comfortable with. Their owner told Newsweek they were stunned to see how Nova reacted to Simba in the clip and decided to post the footage online, where it has already been upvoted over 10,000 times.

"They've been close but our cat is actually younger than our dog so we were surprised to see him acting like a big brother and comforting him," they said. "It isn't something he normally does at home. Nova sometimes sleeps next to the dog but not often." Though the idea of a cat coming to a dog's aid might seem alien to some, research suggests the two species are more capable of forming a close bond than some may have otherwise thought. In a 2018 study of 1,270 pet owners who had cats and dogs that cohabited with one another, 64 percent of respondents said the two played with each other "sometimes," while 58 percent slept alongside each other at least some of the time. The research, which was published in the journal PLoS One, even found that 11 percent slept side by side every night. Simba and Nova certainly appear to have formed some kind of bond, though their owner admits it's not always been easy for the two to live under the same roof. Nova is a relatively new addition to the household in Brooksville, Florida, having been adopted from a co-worker aged just 10 weeks old. It was an adjustment for Simba, four, as well, having previously ruled the roost at home. Thankfully, after a few bumps in the road, things have calmed down between the pair. "It was a rough start for the kitten," their owner admits. "But now they are friends and play fight without hurting each other." From what the pet owner says, Simba and Nova couldn't be more different. "Simba loves to power chew any toy he gets and any stuffed animal toy is turned to cotton bits across the floor in under 15 mins. He's also a big momma's boy and is my fiancées shadow no matter where she goes," they said. "The cat loves to sit in sunny windows watching cars go by, anytime I get a delivery from Amazon to sit in the empty boxes and do 3 A.M. zoomies throughout the house."

'Doggy Anxiety'

Despite their contrasting personalities, the clip showcased a different side of their relationship with Nova really stepping up to the plate for his canine companion. Having been called away at short notice, there had been some concern over how Simba would cope away from his human companions. "Our dog has really bad doggy anxiety sadly," their owner said. "We never leave home more than a few hours this was his first time alone for a couple days" But despite regular visits and walks with a sitter as well as calming music, central heating and automated lights, Simba was struggling as the video shows. This was something Nova evidently picked up on. Watching via a security camera, their owner was astonished to see the cat tending to his friend and making sure they were okay. They weren't alone in that sentiment with with many on social media expressing similar joy at the cat's efforts. Red7336 praised Nova's actions, writing: "Cats have a way of finding those who need them" while edoreinn commented: "I strive for this kind of cat and dog relationship." Low_Inside_4787 added: "I'm glad they have each other while you are gone!" Although they don't plan on going away again anytime soon, it's nice to know Simba is in safe paws while they are away. 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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