Can't believe what I have just witnessed

Oh dear, the cat of doom!

That was a lovely rat story, hadenough and, to be fair, there aren't many of those

The cat also always sits next to anyone who is poorly.

Wasn't there a story a few years ago about a cat in a nursing home who would predict who was going to die in the night, and would go and sit with them.
The nurses knew after a while that if the cat was adamant it wanted to be in a certain room, it wasn't good news for the occupant

Just had to add my story-

Several years ago when I lived at home I had a lovely pet rat. We also had a staffie as the family dog. One day rat wasn't in her cage so started searching the house in a complete teary panic thinking I'd never see her again. Eventually found her snuggled up with the Staffie in her blanket in the dog basket! This is the same dog that hated squirrels so not sure why she took to the pet rat so well! Also have no idea how she got there!

I just remembered the counter story of horses saving wildlife. I didn't see this but was told of it by a mounted policeman. He covered London. When in Trafalgar square his horse would stand stock still on 3 legs, with his front leg up. If a pidgin went under the leg then the horse would stamp on it!! After a few times they stopped taking him as it upset the public.

and a tent

That's so lovely. I miss horses. I had a horse when I was pregnant and before I even realised I was he suddenly went very over protective, standing between me and anything "dangerous". This included other horses, men, dogs and a tent .

That's a wonderful story, itsallbollocks. I can just imagine it, having once had four cats myself. Your description of the cats with "their paws neatly together, and tails wrapped neatly around" is so realistic!

these stories are all amazing and beautiful

This one is a little bit sad, but it was strange at the time. We had 4 cats at one point, and sadly one day one of them was accidentally run over and killed. We were devastated, and my df was burying her in the back garden. Our other 3 cats didn't get on particularly well, but they gathered around where we were burying the deceased cat. The eldest one sat up on a bench, and the other 2 sat apart. They formed a perfect triangle. Even next door's cat arrived, and sat up a little way away. They just sat and watched, in the same position. Paws neatly together, and tails wrapped neatly around. When my dad finished, the cats turned and walked slowly away. I couldn't believe it, but it was like something out of a Disney film. A little cat funeral. I've never seen anything like it since.

I remember breast feeding ds, and my bloody cat would "kneed" the sleeve of my dressing gown, trying to get some milk like a kitten. I loved my cat, but not so much that I would bf him!

My friend had a huge lovely Rottweiler dog, she looked more like a bear she was so massive. Whenever she rescued a pregnant cat, the dog would have a phantom pregnancy. When the kittens were born, the dog would lactate as well as the mother cat. This massive Rottweiler would love lying on its back, allowing the kittens to suckle milk. My friend asked the vet if this was ok, and the vet said that it was fine for the kittens to drink dog milk.

Years ago, dh and I went to a wedding and took our dog with us. We got back to the hotel room and fell into bed tired and a bit drunk. The wedding finished in the early hours of the next day as it was abroad. In the morning, I woke up to find a poo in the bidet. I imagine the dog had been desperate to go out but hadn't been able to rouse me and realising he shouldn't poo anywhere copied us by pooing in what he thought was the loo! Clever dog.

Ahhh lovely lots of heart warming stories. What a sweet pony :)

Can I add mine My son was extremely distressed about a bereavement and couldn't go to school, was lying face down on sofa, crying quietly and hopelessly . My generally very slap-happy cat, who is aloof with the dcs much of the time, went over and licked and licked my ds's head. It went on for absolutely ages, my ds's hair was soaking in that spot and in the end it cheered him up as he giggled and said it was beginning to hurt because of the raspy tongue The cat also always sits next to anyone who is poorly.

My NBB had a male cat who stole 3 kittens from a neighbor.

When I got my male cat they palled up, he'd sit outside our cat flap waiting, sort of "can Flint come out to play ", then they'd potter off together for the day.

When my neighbors moved, he adopted a squirrel!

So yes, I really believe in inter species friendships.

I can never understand people who say "animals are just dumb beasts." They are NOT dumb at all. BBCNewsRave I love when cats mew!

Beautiful story. Animals can be great communicators. Just the other day one of my guinea pigs was trying to get my attention. I was about to leave the house for an important meeting and I had run out of parsley which I usually get for their breakfast. So I chucked her under the chin and said "mummy won't be long, sweetheart."She then turned her head and I noticed a small hay bit stuck on her eyeball. She was trying to let me know she needed it removed! So I cleaned my hands and took the hay out the eye and she was happy. aaaaw bless her. Much simpler than the OP's story, not all that impressive in comparison but I just KNEW she was speaking to me. Animals are very clever.

Re. cats and babies... don't cats make a crying baby type sound sometimes? I once thought someone had abandoned a baby but it turned out to be a cat yowling...

Oh he's roan! Lovely story!

I used to look after a horse fascinated by birds. He used to drop mouthfuls of grain outside of his stable window to attract them over.

Happy post - Thank you. xxx

MIL's bullmastiff used to think her rabbits were his babies. He would watch over them, lick them and they would sit on his back.

I have remembered another animal helping story.

Years ago when I was 9 or 10ish we had a heinz 57 mutt who was a bit of a character and an escape artist. Buster he was called. Despite the 6ft fencing he had ways to escape by either scaling the fence with a goid run up or sneaking out through open windows.

He had a little 'friend' who would call for him. Another mutt who would sit on the drive until he managed to escape then the pair would disappear for the day no doubt looking for bitches on heat.

One day Buster had done his usual bolt but we weren't too worried. Nowadays you wouldn't get away with it but 30 years ago it was more common. About teatime we saw Buster and his mate appear at the top of the road and slowly make their way down the street. Buster was leaning on his friend and as they got closer we could sed he was in a terrible state. Back leg dragging, front leg at a funny angle, cuts and grazes, blood coming from his nose.

I shouted my stepdad who got him straight in the car and took him straight to the pdsa which was the only vet with an emergency surgery. He had been run over. Broke his hip, his shoulder, ribs. He had to have 4 lots of surgery which the pdsa did in exchange for using him to photograph for veterinary text books as it was brand new technology back then to pin dogs bones.

He was on 2 legs for weeks.

The vet couldn't believe he had managed to drag himself home and we told him about the little friend who buster had leaned on to get home.

We left him at the vets that night to be operated on and when we got home the little dog was still sat waiting on our drive. He came back every day for the week or so he was in the vets and when we finally brought him home the little dog was so pleased to see him but so gentle. Once buster was ok to go for gentle walks a few times a day the little dog used to come witb us and always walked slowly at busters bad side. Never found out whose dog he was but he was always well fec etc.

Haven't thought about buster who we had pts when he was 14 or the little dog for years. Bless.

I've just read this story to my ds, who is 3. We love this story xx

Can this be put into 'Classics' please? Heartwarming!

Most animals are sentient beings. They deserve respect and dignity.

Awww I love this