Stray Kitten Finds New Home—Nightly Routine With Dog Brother Melts Hearts

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Liz O’Connell is a Newsweek Reporter based in North Carolina. Her focus is on pet news and videos. Liz joined Newsweek in 2023 and had previously worked at PetHelpful.com, the Charlotte Business Journal, and The Anson Record. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Liz by emailing e.oconnell@newsweek.com.

Pets Reporter

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A video of a rescue cat becoming fully comfortable with his doggy sibling by nuzzling into a sleeping spot next to him quickly melted hearts online.

The family found a tuxedo cat, Taco, a few months ago, crying in the engine of a neighbor’s car. They had lost their cat a year earlier, and with no microchip, the family decided to welcome the nearly 3-month-old kitten into their home.

While the family quickly fell in love with him, so did one of the dogs, Gus. The family’s golden retriever couldn’t get enough of the tiny animal, following Taco around and making sure he didn’t get into trouble. His openness helped Taco feel at ease, and now, the two are never apart for too long.

In last week’s TikTok video posted to the account @jpleakis, Gus was fast asleep on the couch when Taco jumped up to join. The kitty slowly stepped between his legs, careful not to wake him up. Half awake, Gus realized what was happening and readjusted himself to make room for his brother.

Newsweek reached out to @jpleakis via TikTok for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

The cat nuzzled himself into the dog’s stomach, like he was the little spoon. And within seconds, Taco’s eyes began slowly closing.

This precious moment has become the new normal routine in this household, as these two fur besties cannot sleep without each other, even if Gus sometimes doesn’t allow it.

Other videos show Gus a bit more closed off to the idea of snuggling, but if there’s a will, there’s a way, and Taco makes sure to find his way in to sleep right next to Gus. But more often than not, these two brothers can’t get enough of each other.

What Do the Comments Say?

The TikTok video became an instant hit, as people obsessed over this unexpected relationship. The clip reached over 3.5 million views, 487,500 likes and 747 comments as of Thursday.

“The way he makes room for him I CAN’TTTT,” said a viewer.

“Gus going right back to sleep with his tongue out is so cute!” another commenter said.

“Gus is a great taco shell,” a third commenter joked.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

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