When Matthew decided to bring a new puppy, Rylee into his home, he was not sure how his ginger cat Oskar would react to this new addition to their family.
Their relationship started on rocky ground. Little Rylee was too hyper for the calm Oskar, and Oskar seemed more than a little displeased by his new canine fur brother.
Matthew reflected that in that first month, Rylee would try to play with Oskar by nipping at his tail and leg, and Oskar would stare at Matthew as if to ask, “‘What the hell did you bring into this house.’”
By the third month of having Rylee in the home, they started to bond. Still, when they played, Oskar was sure to put Rylee in his place with a warning bite followed by several kisses.
After nine months together, Rylee and Oskar were inseparable. They cuddled together on the bed and spent time together. “They were spending a little more time together than were with us,” Matthew joked.
Matthew’s family liked to tell people that Oskar helped raise the puppy into a full-grown dog, something that felt all the more true when Rylee would come to take Oskar’s attention away when Matthew was petting the cat.
It might have taken a while, but some of the best things in life often do. With patience, understanding and kindness, these two animals forged a relationship that will last them their entire lives.
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