'He wanted to help too': Dog comes home from rehab and needs regular massages, his cat best friend desperately wants to help, so he watches their human and starts regularly kneading the dog

Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor

Apr 13, 2026 9:30 AM EDT

This story is yet another piece of proof that cats and dogs can be absolute best friends.

To this day, people believe in the myth that cats and dogs hate one another. And yes, it is a myth. Sure, cats and dogs are very different. Their behaviors and interpretations of those behaviors are sometimes not only different but opposite. The simple wagging of their tail means two completely different things. But just like we, as humans, are able to get along with people who are different than us, cats and dogs can be friends too. In fact, cats and dogs can be best friends.

In today's story, the cat and dog are so bonded that after the dog had to go through a procedure that left it a little worse for wear than usual. And the kitty was concerned. Constantly, the cat was offering comfort to the dog, and then, out of nowhere, it started doing something special, something beyond merely offering comfort.

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"Cat helps with his brother rehab."

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We think that it would be impossible for anyone to look at this story and not believe that this cat and this dog love one another. The way that they behave with one another, the comfort they have with each other, the concern that this kitty is clearly showing when his friend is not feeling the best. This is the ultimate piece of proof. There doesn't need to be any more. Cats and dogs can be best of friends.
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Just look at the gentle way that this kitty is touching her friend. If you have cats, you know what this kind of touch means. You know the care that is being given in that moment by the cat. The need to help is real and immediate. And although it took a moment, he figured out the exact way that he could help - by looking at his human and seeing what they were doing.
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Cats kneading you is not simply a cute thing. It actually has real therapeutic effects. It lowers stress, releases feel-good hormones and promotes relaxation. It also hurts a little, at least for us, if we don't trip their nails before they do it. But for dogs, it's simpler. They get a massage from their friend, and it actually makes them feel better. This cat is not just trying to help, he is helping.
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