Goldendoodle Meets New Cat Friend and Pets Him Like a Human

The age-old stereotype that dogs and cats are born enemies has persisted for centuries, but as with any stereotype, it's not universally true. There are plenty of cats and dogs out there who get along swimmingly with each other, sometimes even becoming best friends. If anything, there's even evidence to suggest that they might find each other just as cute as we do!

Exhibit A: this adorable first-time meeting between Bailey, a fluffy, friendly goldendoodle, and Kevin, a black-and-white cat belonging to Bailey's owner's mom. The two pets clearly enjoyed their first play date together, especially Bailey, who petted his new feline friend just like a human!

LOL! Bailey's petting technique was absolutely flawless! The friendly doodle dog was very gentle and methodical as he petted his new kitty friend, clearly emulating his human parents' behavior. Bailey's owner, @love.light.and.lucy, couldn't stop laughing at her pup's hilariously charming gesture of friendship. As for Kevin... well, he looked like he didn't quite know what to make of getting pets from a dog. That was definitely a first for him!

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On TikTok, commenters marveled at Bailey's perfect petting approach, shocked by how gentle and careful the big doodle was with the little black-and-white cat.

"That was a very sophisticated, gentle paw," @grizzlycamacho applauded.

"He may be the sweetest little guy on the planet, I fear," said @dahyunsnewteeth (so say we all).

"Doodles are humans in costume, you cannot convince me otherwise," declared @crystalgoddess13. After witnessing Bailey's flawlessly human petting technique, this is one conspiracy theory I might just buy into...

Obviously, I kid. Bailey isn't really a human in disguise (at least, I think), but he's clearly following the example of his loving pet parents, who've demonstrated how to be kind and gentle to other animals. Pets, especially pet dogs and cats, pick up on the energy their owners put down. If they see their owners being openly affectionate towards another pet, they're more likely to be gentle and affectionate towards that pet, too!

Dogs and Cats Becoming Friends

Of course, socializing dogs and cats with each other isn't always this easy. Sometimes new pets will take to each other pretty well on the first meeting, as Bailey did to Kevin. This was just a brief play date, though, and both Lucy and her mom clearly knew their pets would get along fine (though they never anticipated Bailey's adorable reaction). More often than not, though, it takes a little extra work to acclimate unfamiliar pets to each other, especially if they're from different species.

As with acclimating any two pets, introducing cats and dogs to each other can take time. It's best to keep them separate behind closed doors first so they can get used to each other's smell, then slowly introduce face-to-face meetings and eventually supervised hangout times, reinforcing friendly behavior with treats to build a positive association with one other. The Animal Humane Society has a great step-by-step guide to introducing dogs and cats that goes over this process in detail!

As long as cats and dogs are properly introduced to each other, they can live happily side by side, and may even end up becoming good friends. As to whether or not your dog will try to pet your cat, though, well... I can't promise anything, but if they're as friendly as Bailey the Doodle, they just might try!

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