Scared Maine Coon Cat 'Bravely' Tries to Befriend Spaniel Dog on Playdate

One of the challenges I faced when training my child how to interact with our new cats is to help them understand that cats simply being curious about something they should be careful around was not reason to reprimand them. In fact, it actually might have a detrimental effect, teaching them to fear something that they were otherwise calm about. Cats are actually naturally skittish, careful creatures, whose vaunted “curiosity” is actually an indication about how careful and deliberate they can be when approaching something new.

And this is certainly clearly seen in this video, in which a Maine Coon—a literal “scaredy cat” tentatively makes overtures of friendship to a Spaniel dog.

In the video, Anubis, a gorgeous Maine Coon tabby, is shown overcoming his long-term fear of a beautiful black and tan Spaniel named Fern.

Related: Maine Coon Cat Has the Best Way of Making Sure He's Not Left Behind on a Walk

“Anubis has known poor sweet Fern since he was a kitten, but he’s still trying to conquer his fear of her,” reads the caption on this cute video of the cat peeking over the side of the couch and gently reaching out toward the face of the calm and exceedingly patient dog.

“Having playdates with animals is so interesting,” Anubis’s owner concludes.

Introducing a New Pet to the House

Animals can be territorial, so when introducing a new pet to the household, it’s good to make sure that everything happens in a supervised and controlled environment, just in case things go wrong. What we’re seeing here, two animals calmly interacting while under the watchful eye of whoever is taking this video, is absolutely a best-case scenario. Some animals are anxious, but it’s clear that they are both trying and on their best behavior, and honestly, that’s the most you can hope for.

The reason it’s important to have a supervisor around in situations like this is that even normally sweet and gentle dogs can get triggered by an unexpected “intruder” in their space. Make sure all your pets are safe and secure before making introductions. Allowing the animals their own space and letting them get to know each other on neutral territory can also help a lot.

Dogs Who Like Cats

It’s actually especially funny that the cat so scared of dogs is named—of all things—Anubis. Anubis was an Egyptian death god, often depicted with either the head or the body of a creature that some interpret to be a jackal, but others interpret to be a dog. And it’s true that the statues of this ancient god bear a strong resemblance to several modern breeds, like the Doberman Pinscher or the Greyhound.

But though this cat may be named for a dog god, that does not mean he’s down with dogs.

Many dogs are assumed to naturally want to chase or harass the cats they meet, but cats and dogs can live quite happily together and even be an immensely beneficial and enriching part of each other’s lives.

Nevertheless, the “good with cats” label that so often appears on rescue site entries with dogs can run the gamut from “loves being their pincushion” to “ignores their presence.” And it works.

Especially because everyone knows the best way to get a cat to want to hang out with you is to ignore them entirely. Cats, for some reason, love creatures who play hard to get.

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