Puppy cleverly hides under dad while attacking cat

Who says cats and dogs can’t get along? This video of a puppy doing his darndest to make friends with the fussy feline he shares his home with is pure comedy gold! Dave the curious puppy is trying to become besties with the Norman the cat. But Norman isn’t quite sure what to make of this ambitious young interloper, so Dave makes the, very wise, in our opinion, decision to take refuge under the safety of the belly of his dad, Goose the Golden Retriever.

Dave barks and tries to insert his nose into Norman’s space in a “Hey, get to know me!” gesture of goodwill, wagging his tail the entire time. But it looks like Norman isn’t exactly in the mood for new friends right now, and swipe goes his paw!

From the speed with which Dave retreats to his dad for protection, we’re guessing that there might be some history here—like maybe Dave has made one too many efforts that have strained Norman’s patience in the past. Or maybe, even as a puppy, he’s instinctively shrewd enough to realize that provoking a reluctant cat isn’t always a wise lifestyle decision.

We’ve known cats who’ve gotten more than a little ornery when they felt that their dignity—not to mention their purr-sonal space—was being breached without invitation. Fortunately, Dave’s got his dad there to back him up! We’re guessing, though, that when the cameras are off, this is one big happily blended fur family—proving that it actually is possible for cats and dogs to live together, so long as everybody minds their manners and respects the personal boundaries of the fuzzy companions they share their home with.

Some people are reluctant to add a dog to their home if they already have cats, or vice versa, but videos like this one just go to show that you can never have too much love—or too many adorable critters—in any one household.

If you have anyone on your contact list who’s in love with videos showing interspecies friendships, a description that suits us perfectly, for the record, then you’ll definitely want to make a point of sharing this one with them. And don’t forget to bookmark it for your own repeat viewing pleasure. This one makes us nostalgic for all the dogs and cats we’ve loved before—and reminds us to snuggle with the ones we have now! Pets snuggles just make our days a thousand times better!