Golden Retriever Puppy ‘Raised’ by Cats Reacts to Seeing Kitten Again

The internet has fallen in love with a puppy’s beyond-adorable reaction to seeing a kitten for the first time since she was brought home.

The young golden retriever puppy named Ruby was raised with kittens before her owners brought her to her forever home in Washington. But since being with her family, she has yet to see another kitten.

In a viral TikTok video uploaded to the account @ruby.retriever, Ruby’s kitten drought finally ended. She calmly and patiently waited for the kitten to come over to her as her tail moved a 100 mph. She could not contain her excitement.

The caption reads, “…I believe it’s safe to say that she misses her kitty friends.”

Screengrabs from a viral TikTok video of a puppy meeting a cat. A Golden retriever who was raised by cats meets a kitten for the first time since being brought home.
@ruby.retriever/TikTok

The orange kitten made the initial contact, rubbing up against Ruby’s snoot. Ruby’s heart must’ve melted because she immediately laid down next to the kitten.

The precious November 3 video quickly captured the hearts of viewers as it reached over 1.3 million views and 227,300 likes with many demanding the owners get Ruby a kitty friend. Luckily, she gets to hang out with her neighbor’s cats regularly.

“As one of her many lawyers, it has been determined that this beautiful puppy soul should be getting her own kitten. Now we wait,” commented one viewer.

Another user added: “She’s so sweet and so excited.”

Newsweek reached out for comment via TikTok.

In an updated video, Ruby is again seen interacting with the orange kitten, but this time there is another fur baby in the picture. She knew to stay calm and give the more hesitant cat space.

Ruby the golden retriever puppy hanging out with the neighbor’s cats.

How to Introduce Dogs and Cats

Although cats and dogs often do get along with each other, or at least tolerate each other, it is still important to properly introduce them. The slower the introduction and the younger the pets are, the better.

To start, you’ll want to make sure the cat has access to a dog-free environment filled with water, food, toys, and a litter box at all times, the American Humane Society said. This gives the cat a sanctuary to return to if they ever feel overwhelmed, scared, or stressed.

Keep the pets separated for the first few days, allowing them to get used to each other without being face-to-face. Then, proceed to feed them at the same time on either side of the closed door so they get used to eating together. The final step will be to conduct meet and greets in common areas of the house.

Keep the meet-and-greet sessions short. You’ll want to put your dog on a leash and let the cat come and go. Reward calm, respectful behavior with treats, and if either pet shows signs of aggression, calmly distract and redirect them. Be consistent with these sessions, repeating them daily.

As they become more and more comfortable with each other, you can let loose together in the room but always supervise. Remember slow and steady is the best method to ensure both pets are happy.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.