Cat Who Pets Dogs On Daily Walks Wins Pet Of The Week Award

This week we swooned over a dog and a bunny that look like twins and marveled at a cat owner’s genius trick to calming her excited kitten.

Along with some favorite viral pet moments, we were thrilled to Newsweek readers’ comments about their pets.

If you want your pet to be part of our Newsweek Pet of the Week line-up next week, be sure to follow the details at the end of this story.

Winner

Our winner this week is the rescue cat, Murray. Adopted by owner Lisa Russell in the fall of 2021, her owner says Newsweek“I was just supposed to place him in foster care for a week or two…but we all know how that can be.”

He lived in downtown San Diego until his landlord could no longer care for him. A neighbor helped spread the word and asked on the Nextdoor app if anyone would be able to look after Murray while a permanent solution was found. Russell saw the message and went to help.

But as soon as she met Murray, she knew it wouldn’t be a short foster placement: “It’s been permanent ever since I first saw this beautiful boy,” she said. she stated.

In addition to Murray the cat, the family included a Chihuahua mix named Lukas, a Maltese mix named Kai, and a Poodle mix Tica. Tica was 16 when Murray arrived home and having lost most of her sight, she was walking around in a stroller.

“I was told that Murray used to accompany his first human in a sling-type baby carrier on various outings, including going into a tavern or two to socialize, so I thought Murray would like maybe accompany the puppies and me on our getaways too,” Russel says. “I added Murray to the mix in the stroller with Tica and he loved it from the start.”

Sadly, Tica passed away at the age of 17 in 2022, but Murray’s adventures continue with the other dogs.

“When Murray hears me telling the dogs it’s time to go to the park, he runs with them down the stairs. He can’t wait to get there,” Russell said. “I put a collar and leash on him so he’s safe in the stroller. He’s a really good boy, but I want to be safe and not worry about him jumping out of reflex to chase a lizard or a bird.”

Living near a large park with lots of green space, Murray and his canine friends love venturing around the neighborhood.

“He hangs his little arm over the edge of the stroller like he’s driving a sports car,” Russell said. “On chilly days, he dons a scarf made by a neighbor – it’s blue to match his eyes, of course.”

An adept at greeting people and dogs, Murray will interact with almost anyone who stops by to say hello.

“Murray is very affectionate and a great ambassador for felines everywhere. If anyone was afraid or misunderstood cats before, I hope after meeting him they will have a change of heart,” Russell said. . “He is an exceptional cat and I feel very lucky that we found each other. He brings a lot of happiness to the world.”

Finalists

This week’s first runner-up is beloved rescue cat Smokey who lives with owner Margaret Garrett in Florida.

“Smokey came to our rescue when we didn’t know we needed another pet. We actually went to see a mobile home for sale and the people who had just bought it were debating whether to buy it. fix it or sell it as is,” Garrett said. Newsweek.

When they went to see the mobile home, they found a cat and kittens living in the house in horrible conditions.

“There were two kittens and horrible conditions,” Garrett said. “The litter box was overflowing and there was no food or water. So I told the guy I was going to get Smokey and take the mom cat and the other kitten to the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of animal cruelty).”

After catching all three cats, Garrett took the mother and one kitten to the local rescue and kept the second kitten, Smokey.

Today, the once-tiny kitten is a beloved pet that has truly settled into the home.

“Now he’s at least 26 pounds and just a brute,” Garrett said. “At night he lives to snuggle into my chest, bumping my nose. He’s so huge and so crazy, but also kind and always tries to act innocent.”

Our next runner up this week is Maggie who was adopted from a shelter in Conroe, Texas in 2012. Now living in an RV in Arizona with owners Ray and Janetta Messmer, this 11-year-old dog has helped her owners to dive into a whole new life.

“Because she suffered from separation anxiety, we joked that she told us to quit our jobs, sell everything, buy an RV and hit the road. And that’s exactly what we did,” Messmer said. Newsweek.

“She loves to travel and follows all the rules of the different campgrounds we stay at,” her loving owners said.

Last, but not least, is Hunter, the cat who lives with his owner Marie Baird in Minnesota.

The three-year-old cat was born to a litter of four, and he and his brother Boots and their mother Sasha still live together today.

Adorable Hunter loves the camera and will take any opportunity to drink running water whenever possible.

“My favorite part of Hunter’s demeanor is when he greets me by looking me straight in the eye,” Baird said. Newsweek. “It’s almost like he’s looking deep inside me. He’s very verbal all day. Sometimes I think I’m talking cat when I meow back to him because he always responds.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or photos of your pet that you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week range.