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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if your pets are "friends"?

69 replies

anotherbloomingusername · 04/12/2015 11:48

Thanks to the internet, I've seen so many cute photos of people's cats cuddled up together or someone's kitten curled up on their sleeping dog. My pets have never really done this. (Although my cat did used to sleep on top of the hamster cage, I wasn't sure his motives were entirely pure...)

When I've had two cats, they would happily chill in the same room or have a mad scamper after breakfast, but never outright cuddles. And although I've usually found that at least one cat will accompany the dog on his walks and they rub up against each him in greeting, they don't lie down together.

Does anyone have pets who are "besties"? How did it happen?

OP posts:

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Preciousxbane · 04/12/2015 11:50

My cat likes to try and mind melt the fish by staring at them. I think the only pic would be with a fish hanging out of her mouth.

Roobix04 · 04/12/2015 11:50

My cats sleep together all the time but this is 100% just for warmth or jealousy over wanting the same spot. Big male cat is a bit simple and blundering and probably would be friends but little female cat is an uppity bitch who 6 years on still hasn't forgiven us for rescuing another cat. She frequently hits him in the face for no reason.

Roobix04 · 04/12/2015 11:51

My sisters dog and cat like to play together though. They don't sleep together

cailindana · 04/12/2015 11:53

My cats kiss when they see each other and will on the very odd occasion cuddle up together. They will not share laps though. Usually what happens is that boycat gets the lap and girlcat climbs up and starts aggressively grooming him, which results in him slowly being edged off the lap until he falls on the floor. She then takes his place and he walks off all confused. They also bite each other's heads from time to time - I'm not sure what that's about.

LineyReborn · 04/12/2015 11:53

Each cat will cuddle up with me, or DS. But not with each other.

They are mother-daughter. Always scrapping.

CoodleMoodle · 04/12/2015 11:55

DM and I got our cats when they were kittens. They used to be very cuddly, wash each other, sleep curled up together, etc.

They're 14 now and actively dislike one another. Boy cat is especially mean to girl cat (he's huge, she's tiny), but not all the time. Out of nowhere he'll decide to just attack, usually because she's too close to DM or similar. They do chase each other around, sometimes. One will chase up the stairs, then they turn around and the other chases back down. That's about the extent of it, though.

The only time they're really nice to each other is if they have to go to the cattery. Boy cat will usually be squashed up in girl cat's basket when they're picked up!

Roobix04 · 04/12/2015 11:55

cailindana sounds like our house.

fortifiedwithtea · 04/12/2015 11:57

I have guinea pigs which are herd animals, not surprisingly they are besties. But they do have favourites.

My guinea pig was sad and lonely when her hutch friend died. We took her to a rescue to find a friend and came home with two. My lonely girl bonded instantly with a rescue guinea and followed her everywhere. They are still bff.

CoodleMoodle · 04/12/2015 11:57

Oh! My Nan had a huge dog and tiny cat. The cat was in charge (he was there first) but they'd sleep together in front of the fire... until the cat decided he'd had enough of sharing and sock the poor dog on the nose! This happened frequently...

Branleuse · 04/12/2015 11:57

my two cats are best friends. They play, wash each other, sleep together.

dps dogs seem to like each other well enough too

BillBrysonsBeard · 04/12/2015 11:58

I know what you mean! My cats have never cuddled, just give the odd swipe as the other goes past I thought cat cuddles were rare but my friend posts daily pics of her 7 kittys in a loved up pile.

MephistophelesApprentice · 04/12/2015 12:01

Mine aren't, but they were introduced fairly late in my older cats life. Occasionally they'll share a bed, if it's cold and the room they're in is warm, but otherwise they avoid each other.

Kitsandkids · 04/12/2015 12:10

I have 3 cats. 2 neutered girls and a neutered boy. The oldest, a girl, tolerates the others but does not cuddle up with them. She is very cuddly with us though.

The boy is generally quite friendly to all cats. He'll go up to cats in the street for a sniff and is quite interested in any that jump in our open window (there are a couple that do this from time to time). He doesn't seek out cuddles from our third cat, but will happily accept them.

The third cat, another girl, absolutely loves the boy. He was already an adult when we got her as a kitten and once they had become friends she wanted no more to do with us humans. She goes out quite a bit but as soon as she comes in she will miaow and look around until she finds the boy cat, then she will give him a quick groom before going to get food. If he is curled up asleep and she wants to go to sleep she will cuddle up with him, and often lies partly on top of him. She simply adores him.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 04/12/2015 12:13

My two are brother and sister, we got them together about 11 years ago.

They sleep together and cuddle each other in an old squashy duvet we gave them. They have the odd scrap and play fight too.

imonaplane · 04/12/2015 12:23

I have 3 dogs. They all love each other and always curl up together on the sofa.

Oreocrumbs · 04/12/2015 12:24

I've got 5 dogs and a cat. The dogs are pretty pally as long as they all tow the line the grumpy elder dogs set. The cat just spends his life watching them with distain! The dogs seem happy with this, particularly the old ladies who simply return the look with one which asks if he thinks they are remotely bothered? youngest dog though is desperate to be friends with the cat. No amount if hissing and slaps to the snout have damped his desire.... We got him a child to play with instead. He seems ok with this!

AlpacaPicnic · 04/12/2015 12:28

I have two cats who are brothers - we got them as kittens so they've never been apart.
They are just like DH and his brothers - sometimes they scrap with each other, sometimes they ignore each other (other cat? what other cat?) but sometimes they hang out and curl up and sleep in a bundle. They do groom each other sometimes as well - unlike DH and his brothers!

CrownofStars · 04/12/2015 12:32

I've got three dogs. Two of them are 'besties' and snuggle together, play together and run around together on walks. The other dog tolerates them and will sometimes play with them but prefers to snuggle up to me and spends the whole walk trying to get me to throw her frisbee. 😄

howtorebuild · 04/12/2015 12:36

😘😻😾😈 between my cats.

SquadGoals · 04/12/2015 12:40

My cats are still little kittens but adore each other. They sleep curled up, either in their bed or on me.

I think they think I am one of them, because if I leave the room, one will follow me and the other will cry until both of us come back into the room.

OfficeGirl1969 · 04/12/2015 12:40

The kitten is in a permanent state of trying to have sex with all three of the adult cats. Usually with their heads. I'm not sure that constitues friendship though.......

Flumplet · 04/12/2015 12:42

Our biggest cat and the dog are like a 'couple' - she likes to sleep next to him and swishes around him when he comes in. The other cats aren't all terribly keen on each other - will sit on the same bed but not too close.

StarkyTheDirewolf · 04/12/2015 13:36

I've got two dogs, boy and a girl. They have a tempestuous relationship, they adore each other, wouldn't be without one another, separation anxiety if they are split for even a short time, sleep cwtched up together and will cleave together. But if one of them has a chew, and the other one doesn't, all love goes out the window and it's full on war!

Avonandice · 04/12/2015 13:48

Our two ferrets will spend most of their sleeping time in a heap, never usually sure who is sleeping on who, if they had their way theyd either use the cat as a cushion or a chew toy. The rabbits ignore everyone.

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 04/12/2015 14:00

I had a lovely cat as a kid, then a family moved in down the road with about 6 cats. He would fight with all of them except one female, who he took a shine to.

We asked if we could adopt this one and 'she' came to live with us. Turned out it was a boy and they were firm friends, washing each other and cuddling up together. When one died the other didn't wash for weeks, he was obviously pining for his little buddy

My current cat is an arsehole and hates us all! He had to be separated from his brothers for fighting, which is how we came by him, and he now patrols the area fighting off anyone who dares to come near him. I do wish he was a bit more friendly as it would be nice to have a couple of cats, but he'd kill any animal who tried to come in our house!

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