Cats and dogs can bond and form beautiful friendships, and this tear-jerking video proves just this. A moment when Bunny, a feline, says goodbye to his best friend Tye, a canine, by affectionately rubbing her face over his, minutes before the poor pooch is no more, is so touching it will make you cry.
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‘He was truly my soulmate’
Erica Kutzing, a rescue hospice animal caretaker from New York, has always been a firm believer in taking her work home with her.
Tye, one of the dogs who came into the shelter, was born with a defect called microphthalmia, which meant he was 'blind his entire life'. Despite this, he was a happy and playful pooch and thrived after Kutzing adopted him.
The animal lover said:
He came to work with me every day and played effortlessly with other dogs. He helped me foster thousands of kittens and puppies and loved every single one. He was truly my soulmate.
The best friends
Tye and Kutzing’s cat Bunny spent many happy years together regardless of the fact they were dog and cat. The feline played a crucial role in helping the special needs pup adjust to his new surroundings, with the pair striking up a unique bond.
Their owner commented:
I adopted them both within months of each other so they spent every single day of their lives together. Bunny loved to give Tye massages and sometimes would walk in front of him to guide him throughout the house.
The last cuddles
When Tye became ill, and it was clear he wasn’t going to make it, Kutzing wanted to make sure Bunny could say one last goodbye to his friend. She captured their final encounter in an emotional video that touched people’s hearts and has been watched over 5 million times on TikTok.
The clip shows poorly Tye, who can barely move, lying on the couch in the living room, and Bunny who, after climbing up over to the pooch, can’t stop affectionately rubbing her face against his. She does it again and again like she understands what is going on.
This stereotype-defying moment is so moving it left many social media platform users in floods of tears.
@ekkykay We will never recover. We loved our boy so much. #restinparadise#ilovemydog#mybestfriend#catanddoglove
♬ original sound - Erica
Life after the loss
According to Kutzing, several months after Tye's passing, his loss is still keenly felt.
To help them all heal, she bought another visually impaired puppy for Bunny to help raise. The kitty bonded with him and has been much better since.
While life is gradually moving on, Kutzing said she will never forget Tye and would encourage other dog lovers to give a rescue pet a chance.
She said:
A rescue animal is capable of taking you on a journey and sometimes it's a journey you never expected. Tye opened my world to special needs adoption and I had no idea the rewards that come from it. Because of him, I will always and only adopt special needs pets.
But any adoption is an amazing motivation to keep saving lives. Adopting isn't only saving one pet, it's opening up a spot for an animal that needs saving.
@ekkykay Forever broken hearted. #mybestfriend#petloss#disabledpet
♬ It'll Be Okay - Rachel Grae
Sources used:
- Newsweek: 'Cat Says Goodbye to Dying Dog and 'Best Friend' in Heartbreaking Video'
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