Dog ‘Scared’ by Orange Cat on Stairs, Who Comes to the Rescue Melts Hearts – ryan

An Australian shepherd who’s too scared to go near her orange cat sibling has delighted social media users with her hilarious solution to move past the feline.

In a viral tiktok video shared on Saturday by @penny_and_the_cats, the pup, Penny, can be seen standing in the middle of the stairs, having seemingly stopped mid-way through walking down them when she reached the step above the onw where an orange cat is perched. Penny stares at him and then at her owner, as if asking for help. Another cat then comes down the stairs, creating a barrier between the other two animals, at which point Penny begins to move downwards.

“When you’re scared of the orange cat so you have to wait for the nice cat to create a safe pass down the stairs for you,” reads layover text in the clip.

“She doesn’t understand that she’s bigger than him,” the poster wrote in the caption.

It’s not uncommon for big dogs to be afraid of cats.

Canada knows explains that this fear is usually due to a mix of instincts, past experiences, and the felines’ powerful personalities. For example, if your dog experienced cats’ claws or bites as a puppy, they may still remember how it felt, and that can cause fear.

Certain breeds, like smaller ones, or those bred for companionship, are more likely to be afraid of cats.

Despite being small, cats often manage to scare their dog siblings away without even having to make a move, just by staring them down. But they likely not as brave and fearless as they appear.

Pet MD says that cats are often afraid of loud noises, strangers, water, changes in their environment, humans, veterinarians, confined spaces, dogs sometimes, and — believe it or not — cucumbers.

Why cucumbers? Scientists believe that it’s not the cucumber itself that looks threatening to cats, but the fact that it’s an unknown object that they have probably never seen before.

dog and cat going down stairs
A stock image shows a dog trying to go down the stairs as an orange cat obstructs him.

getty images

The video of Penny quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 400,000 views and 31,000 likes on the platform.

One user, Tyler, commented: “The dog had the police cat escort her to safety.”

MamaRed758 wrote: “As a fellow orange cat owner…i need that escort too please.”

Kristy Joy added: “Being afraid of the orange cat is very relatable.”

Newsweek reached out to @penny_and_the_cats for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the story.

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