Footage of a dog with separation anxiety being comforted by a cat has racked up over 412,000 views on TikTok.
The heartwarming video shared to @fourfluffyfriends4 shows Turbo, the one-year-old Chihuahua, sitting on black Bengal Arthur’s bed and shaking from head to toe while the cat’s body is almost curled around him.
The on-screen text explains why poor Turbo is trembling, saying: “Turbo (dog) often visits us. He is very attached to his owner. So when his owner went to the store for 20 minutes, he went to Arthur to get comforted.”
At the time of writing, the video has received 81,400 likes and over 233 comments.
“Emotional support cat,” said one user.
Another wrote: “I can’t tell if Arthur is giving comfort or silently judging.”
“To be a dog with 0 responsibilities and still be so anxious,” said a third commenter.
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Dogs of various ages, breeds, and backgrounds can experience anxiety, which is fairly common. In 2021, CetraPet, a mental health clinic that focusses on animal-assisted interventions, surveyed over 2,600 American dog parents across all 50 states. The results found 76 percent of dogs experience separation anxiety and a majority of owners (73%) would get another dog if it meant their current pet would be less anxious.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, dogs who have this disorder may exhibit distress and behavioral issues when they are left alone such as:
- Trembling or salivating
- Digging and scratching at doors or windows
- Destructive chewing
- Howling, barking or whining
- Urination and defecation (even with otherwise house-trained dogs)
Some dogs may also be bonded to another canine or animal and showcase the same symptoms when the other isn’t around. Like one Chihuahua featured in Newsweek, who went through 30 minutes of “agonizing” hell without his furry sibling.
Newsweek previously spoke to Andrea Arden, who has been training dogs since 1994, and shared tips on how to reduce a dog’s separation anxiety.
The New York City-based trainer said that dogs can be prepared while an owner is around the house.
She said: “Every time you’re about to hop in the shower, or go into the garden to do some gardening for half an hour, or running to the grocery store for a bit of time, that’s a great opportunity to give your dog a chance to rest calmly, either in a crate, if they’re crate-trained, or an an area that’s separated from the rest of the house, like a pantry or a foyer or a kitchen that’s blocked off, or bathroom.
“Make sure that you give your dog plenty of opportunities to do the right thing.”
Newsweek reached out to @fourfluffyfriends4 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.