Browse ›
A fluffy white cat licks the head of a sleepy golden puppy resting on a knit blanket in a living room. 1 / 37

The White Cat Decided the Sleepy Puppy Needed a Bath

AI imagecat and puppygroomingliving room

The white cat has settled in with serious purpose, her pink tongue working at the fur between the sleepy puppy's ears. Waffles, the golden pup, has given up all resistance. His eyes are shut, his chin is flat on a chunky knit blanket, and his big paws are stretched out in front of him like he has nowhere to be. Behind them, a canvas bag of stuffed toys and a leafy houseplant fill out a lived-in living room.

Cats groom each other as a way of bonding, and it is often called allogrooming. Mother cats do it constantly with kittens, so a cat that licks a puppy is probably treating the little one as part of her family circle. It is a good sign that she feels relaxed around him. If you ever introduce a cat and a puppy, go slowly, keep the puppy from chasing, and give the cat a high perch or a quiet room to retreat to. Short, calm meetings usually work better than one long first day.

Puppies do spend most of their day asleep, so Waffles is right on schedule. Young dogs need a lot more rest than people expect, and a warm blanket and a gentle companion make it easier to drift off. The white cat does not seem to mind being the nanny today. She will probably finish the job, then curl up beside him and take her own nap.

More from this collection

All 37 →
A blue point Ragdoll cat and a sleeping golden puppy share a wicker basket full of soft beige towels.The Laundry Never Got Folded Because of These TwoA cream curly-coated Devon Rex cat wraps around a sleepy golden puppy on a patch of snowy ground.A Puppy Fell Asleep in the Snow and the Cat Took Charge
A tortoiseshell cat swats the water as a golden puppy crouches beside her in a shallow muddy creek.A Muddy Creek, a Busy Paw, and One Very Surprised PuppyAn orange longhaired cat and a golden puppy drink side by side from a single metal water bowl on a wood floor.Both of Them Wanted a Drink and Neither Would Move OverA blue-grey British Shorthair cat curls beside a sleeping golden puppy in a big cream-colored round dog bed.The Puppy's Bed Got a New Resident and He Didn't MindA cinnamon Abyssinian cat and a golden puppy sleep together on a gray blanket in front of a black wood stove.The Stove Was Warm, but the Cat Found Something Warmer