Numerous times a day Kacy would find her dog outside staring through the window of her neighbor’s house. The pooch resisted all efforts to get them to move, including a promise of a walk. Kacy, priding herself on being a great pet owner, could not understand why her efforts all proved futile to drag the dog away.
Ongoing Stares
How on earth could she help her dog? She had no idea what he was looking at. Her neighbor eventually got completely fed up after a year of being stalked and decided to put their foot down! Things took a turn for the weird!
Ongoing Stares
Unanswered Questions
Believe it or not, our pets aren’t that different from us. What would drive them to do something so ridiculous as stare unendingly through the same window daily for a whole year? Love, that’s what! Now, surely animals don’t fall in love?
Unanswered Questions
Understanding Our Pets
You wouldn’t be the only one heavily doubting that. After all, emotions are only something we impose on animals… Or are they? Adorable stories like Lady And The Tramp are based on something after all. While cartoons might not convince you, this story should!
Understanding Our Pets
Not A Coincidence
Kacy aka “kacyyy” explained on Reddit how her dog stared out of the window day after day. It wasn’t a regular “ooooh I wanna chase the cars” kind of stare. No, in fact, he was staring at something in particular. Here is where it begins!
Not A Coincidence
What Could It Be?
Kacy had so many questions. They would go unanswered for some time since she wasn’t always at home to be able to see what had grabbed her dog’s attention so. It must have been captivating because it could keep him busy for hours on end.
What Could It Be
Searching For Answers
Intent on solving the mystery, Kacy wondered if it might not be a squirrel or perhaps even a family of squirrels. Surely that was something that would attract a dog’s attention? Finally, she managed to find a day off between work and errands and she decided to stay home to figure out what was going on.
Searching For Answers
The Cat Next Door
As she sat watching television and waiting to solve the mystery, she noticed a cat in the neighbor’s window. Low and behold it was staring at the dog with nearly the same intensity as the dog was staring at it. Could this be the big mystery that had everyone so puzzled?
The Cat Next Door
No Cat Lover
A few hours later Kacy looked over to see the dog still staring intently, however, the cat was no longer staring. It was instead curled up in a small ball, fast asleep. Kacy was absolutely baffled. Her dog didn’t like cats so what on earth was this all about?
No Cat Lover
Not Enemies
Cats and dogs are often used as examples of opposites. You hear about dog people vs cat people. But in truth, cats and dogs (much like humans) can get along and make friends if their personalities are similar enough. The stories abound of animal friendships if you just look long enough. Those stories are truly heartwarming! Much like this one.
Not Enemies
More Questions
Kacy thought perhaps it was just her imagination so she observed some more. The cat woke up and resumed staring at the dog just as before! This was so strange that she decided to watch a few more days, just to make sure. And indeed, the animals stared at each other for hours!
More Questions
Uncertainty
Kacy felt like her imagination was running wild with all the possible scenarios. Was this connection she was seeing a real thing or just a fantasy? Determined to find out, Kacy took action in a way that most would not.
Uncertainty
Questionable Behaviour
A typical morning for most of us includes coffee and the newspaper, but for Kacy, it was coming downstairs and seeing the dog at the window. When she came down one morning and found the dog lying down away from his usual spot she knew something was up.
Questionable Behaviour
Time To Call The Vet?
This behavior was so unusual that she thought surely he must be sick. His food bowl remained untouched. She waited to see if anything would change, but nothing did…
Time To Call The Vet
Consulting The Animal Doctor
With the dog still not eating and looking very lackluster she decided it was time for the vet. At their appointment, she thought she would mention the dog’s strange behavior. The vet just laughed it off and asked about the usual diet, sleep patterns, and activity.
Consulting The Animal Doctor
Complete Change
According to the vet, the pooch was in great shape! Nothing physically wrong with him and all his vaccinations were up to date. Yet, the dog was still miserable. Moping about all depressed despite the fact that he was usually an energetic hound. She puzzled about this on their way home.
Complete Change
Not Quite Right
As soon as they arrived home the dog went straight to his spot on the floor, didn’t even bother to look at the window as he passed. She knew something was definitely wrong… What could have changed?
Not Quite Right
Behaviour Concerns
Where there was previously a cat in the window, there was now a wall of potted plants. Her dog could no longer see his friend. She felt awful for not noticing this before and decided she had to take action to bring her dog back from his depression.
Behaviour Concerns
No Answers
She tried everything she could think of to cheer him up. She took him for many walks, bought him shiny new toys, played with him for hours on end. But nothing worked… He seemed to forget for only the briefest of moments and then he was right back to his depression again.
No Answers
Unconventional Idea
Having exhausted all her options she figured it was time to do something absolutely insane. Her dog was barely responding to her anymore, except to take the occasional treat. She had had enough and there was one thing she hadn’t tried yet. She had to take a chance no matter how crazy it was!
Unconventional Idea
Unusual Method
Kacy, a determined animal lover, wasn’t about to give up as most people would have. She saw how much joy her dog gained from his long-distance friendship with the cat. No matter what, she had to do everything in her power to bring back that happy dog again.
Unusual Method
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
She took a chance and reached out to her neighbor asking about the cat. She knew it seemed absolutely crazy, but she had high hopes and when you find out what the neighbor did? Well, it should cheer you right up too!
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Request
While she wasn’t exactly very good friends with her neighbor, she knew she had to contact him. So she wrote him a little note describing everything that had happened and what she had been observing over the last period of time.
Request
Plants In The Way
After everything was explained she added a special request “ please move the plants” She didn’t want her dog to be so sad anymore. She then took a walk over to her neighbor’s house and taped the note to their window. She didn’t know what sort of response to expect, but she certainly didn’t expect the response that she got!
Plants In The Way
Waiting Game
The wait was so stressful! How would they respond? It wouldn’t be great to live next door to someone who thinks you’re absolutely crazy! She loved her dog very much but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
Waiting Game
An Odd Result
She dreaded being known as the weird girl on the block but her fears were for nothing. The neighbor replied very quickly, the next day in fact. She was so surprised by how the neighbor chose to respond
An Odd Result
The Response
Along with the written response he also removed the plants straight away. He was more than happy to take action for the sake of true love. Was it true love though? Well, they would soon be finding out!
The Response
Finally
The two had lost time together so they wondered if they would return to the same long-distance connection they had before? Or would they have lost interest? They could have won a Guinness World Record for their staring contest.
Finally
Unlikely Friendship
Dogs and cats are capable of forming long time bonds that resemble so much more than friendship. Alaskan Malamute (Kodi) and his teeny tiny grey-and-black kitten friend Myshkin have one of these unique bonds. They are a shining example of this kind of partnership.
Unlikely Friendship
Kodi & Myshkin
When Myshkin was only ten weeks old, that is when Kodi took her under his care. He put up with all kinds of abuse from the teeny kitten, including becoming a scratching post for her razor-sharp little claws. She found great comfort in his shaggy coat and never left his side, even when Kodi fell ill with cancer. She would protect him from anything she could, even stray dogs. Their connection was one shared until the very end.
Kodi And Myshkin
Idgie & Ruth
Idgie and Ruth are a dynamic dog-cat duo named after a pop culture friendship in Fried Green Tomatoes. The two were found together after they had been abandoned and while they fiercely protected each other on the street, they now share a cosy life together in their new forever home.
Idgie And Ruth
Charlie & Scout
Charlie the dog and Scout the cat are another beautiful but sad example of the amazing bond these animals can share. They did everything together and were completely inseparable. Until one day Charlie passed away and Scout was never the same again. The heartbroken kitty couldn’t even sleep without old videos of Charlie playing on a loop on the computer.
Charlie And Scout
Animal Love
What would make any story better than if Kacy and her neighbor had also found love while bonding over the forlorn pets? It sounds like a great rom-com territory! But then again who says a love story between animals isn’t enough to draw the crowds. Everyone loves animals. Everyone enjoys a good love story… Right?
Animal Love
Heartwarming Story
If you are one of those people that don’t believe animals share many of the emotions of humans, this story is hopefully going to change your mind. And when it does, share it with your friends because love is a beautiful thing, and we all could use more heartwarming love stories with everything that is going on right now.
Heartwarming Story
Unwavering Loyalty
Rocket Dog Rescue sees the beginning of just one of these stories. Set the scene: man sees pit bull, a man falls in love with pitbull and chooses to adopt them, the man comes to collect the beautiful three-year-old bull named Merrill. Oh but wait! There’s just one problem… Merrill fiercely loves her friend Taco, and eight-year-old Chihuahua.
Unwavering Loyalty
Unbreakable Bond
Merrill and Taco arrived at the shelter together when their owner surrendered them. While there isn’t much known about the previous owner, the shelter staff could certainly see that the two shared a very intense bond. They could not be separated at all without them crying continuously and they spent as much time together as they could.
Unbreakable Bond
Concerning Situation
When they arrived at the shelter Merrill was in bad shape. She had a severe urinary tract infection which actually required surgery to fix! Taco was stressing and restless the entire time the pit bull was in the operating theatre. When she came out the staff went with protocol and isolated her to help her recover. Turns out this was a very difficult thing to do.
Concerning Situation
Doggie Love
The two dogs cried and cried until the staff relented and allowed Taco into Merrill’s recovery room. A more dedicated and attentive friend than Taco could not be found and he never once left his friend’s side during the recovery process. The staff was touched by this heartwarming friendship but they also knew to be worried… In the future, it might be a problem.
Doggie Love
A Fighting Chance
Most people don’t come to shelters looking to adopt two dogs at once, especially not senior dogs. They listed the dogs separately in the vain hope that maybe they would find them both homes. Taco was old and didn’t garner much interest from potential adopters, but Merrill, on the other hand, received lots of attention.
A Fighting Chance
Goodbye Shelter Life
Cue where our story begins. The man arrived at the shelter to collect his new best friend after filling out all the required paperwork. He excitedly attached the leash to her collar and they were ready to set off. All except Merrill, she wasn’t ready to leave Taco behind and began howling incessantly. The poor man had no idea what was wrong!
Goodbye Shelter Life
Changing The Plan
The staff explained what was happening and told him the heartwarming story of Merrill and Taco. The man heartily agreed that they shouldn’t be separated and although he dearly wanted to, he couldn’t adopt both. He chose to adopt another dog instead and this forced the rescue to change their strategy!
Changing The Plan
Friends Forever
When they realized that they would never be able to separate them, they changed the website adoption listing to include both and sought out a foster home for them in the meantime. Jodi, an amazing volunteer, agreed and soon a wonderful opportunity came along!
Friends Forever
Family
A San Jose family read Taco and Merrill’s story and completely fell in love with the bonded pair. They decided to visit Jodi and on meeting the two furry fellows decided to bring them into the family. The two dogs were so very excited to be going to their new forever home, but the story isn’t over just yet.
Family
A Few Issues
Taco, being an elderly dog, had some health concerns. Among others, asthma and dental disease that left him with only four little teeth. Those were minor issues though because one month after adoption, they took Taco for a checkup and received some bad news from the vet.
A Few Issues
Concerns
Taco had an enlarged heart and fluid on the lungs. The outlook was not good… Heart failure was a real possibility if nothing was done soon. The vet booked him a visit with a specialist and put him on medication right away. The family hoped that they were in time but they started preparing for the worst-case scenario anyway.
Concerns
A New Life
Because Taco was an old dog, his owners knew that there was a good chance he wouldn’t recover despite everything they were doing to help him. They knew they had to do everything they could for the sake of Merrill, who now returned past favors by never leaving her friend’s side. Low and behold, Taco’s condition started to improve!
A New Life
Happy Ending
Taco’s condition improved to the point of stabilizing and while he wasn’t at risk of heart failure anymore, he did still have to take his medicine which included anti-seizure meds and steroids to treat his respiratory disease. Regardless, Taco lived a full life and had tons of fun with his best friend Merrill and their new family.
Happy Ending
Happily Ever After!
Merrill is a young dog and very active! She loves to play and run and roll all around the grass. Taco can’t keep up with this energy anymore but he is faithfully carried around behind Merrill by the humans in his new family and they ensure that they are always together. Every day passes with the two doggy friends happily playing for they know they’ll be together for as long as possible.
Happily Ever After
Routine
Finally, back to Kacy and her depressed pooch. The neighbor has removed the plants and the two animals are back to their old routine. There are lots of staring as per usual and Kacy’s dog is back to high spirits. Both owners are now aware of the long-distance love affair and they often notice the two animals in their accustomed places communicating through stares. Knowing about the relationship they are both contents in knowing that their pets are happy and healthy and forming a bond of friendship like no other.
Routine