September 15, 2008

Gladys & Snowy, a strange couple ...

I read that cats don't usually bother chickens when they bump into each other because chickens are about their size. But I'd never seen cats make friends with chickens either. My cat, Suneo, was sort of scared of everything that he's not familiar with. I was wondering what would be his reaction if he has to share a place with a chicken like Gladys, esp. knowing that his favorite treat is steamed chicken breast fillets? Here is a heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship from the Dailymail :


Best of friends: Lonely chicken Gladys finds her soulmate...Snowy the farmhouse cat
By Daily Mail Reporter

It's an unlikely partnering, but a lonely chicken has struck up an extraordinary friendship with a cat.

In another life, Snowy the cat would surely be chasing chicken Gladys round the farm they both live on.

But against all the odds, the pair have become firm friends - even lavishing affection on each other.

The incredible friendship blossomed just over two months ago when a fox killed 13 chicks - leaving Gladys as the only survivor.

Alone and in need of a friend, Gladys was brought into the farmhouse by her owners to keep her safe. And it was here her beautiful friendship with Snowy began.

Now the two pals are inseparable at the farm in MIddleton, near Leiston in Suffolk, and Snowy even puts her paw around the chicken to comfort her.

Owner Jane Etheridge says one of her bantam hens hatched 14 chicks - including Gladys - but after just two days a fox attack left just three of the chicks alive and a pile of feathers.

Two of the chicks later died but Gladys survived and was brought into the farmhouse where she was fed breadcrumbs to build her strength.

It was here Gladys was befriended by 10-year-old Snowy, and the cat would even wash the fragile bird as well as affectionately rub up against her.

Mrs Etheridge, a 69-year-old pony breeder who is married to Albert, 70, said: 'Gladys would not have survived outside, she would have died, so we kept her inside where she was warm.

'Snowy cleaned her and washed her. Gladys is now about two-and-a-half months old and is our pet.

'She still comes into the house to play.
'She comes in and bounces up and down in front of Snowy and he just stands there and takes it and puts his paw around her.

'They are the best of friends, very much so, and when she first started going out she would not go unless they went together.

'He is a very strange cat and was actually feral when we got him, completely wild. But now he is all too human and a real softie. He sits on my lap, rolls over and puts his paw out on the chair.

'They are a strange couple but we love them both very much.'

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a very unlikely friendship and it's very sweet :D but I wouldn't take any risk and let any cat get near to my birds

tere616.blogspot.com said...

Elyani, it's strange but soo true. I think animal also have a heart and feelings.

Eva, your bird size were smaller compare with the cat :-D

BTW, is it possible the cat didn't eat the chicken because of he's always full ?

Anonymous said...

it's amazing!
it reminds me about Koko the gorilla and his pet kitten, All Ball.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_(gorilla)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Ball

Anonymous said...

How touching. And they're so cute! Even animals love company, and this is the proof.

Elyani said...

@the writer: I don't blame you, scientific evidence show that cats were doing major harm to birds (small birds like your pets).

@Lalita: I think domestic cats do not eat birds either. They just hunt them out of their instinct. My cat Suneo does not even know how chase birds. He just like to watch them but never catch one.

@Anita: indeed, friendship transcends the species as beautifully shown by Gladys and Snowy.