A new “lab” story of two animals has been cheering people up these days despite all the dreadful happenings around the world. Just like humans, animals also develop beautiful and inspiring friendships. One great example of this is the friendship of Paxton, a 12-year-old Labrador retriever and a days-old stray kitten, Polly.
Apart from being a stray kitten, Polly is also blind. Morgan Webb, Paxton's owner, found Polly crying in the bushes in a chilly September night. She immediately brought home the kitten to keep her warm and check her condition. Morgan noticed that the kitten's body was covered by fleas so she gave her a bath and a thorough cleaning. While doing this, Paxton stood near them, watching and sniffing the new addition to their family.
Apparently, it is Paxton's way of initiating contact with the kitten. According to Julie Hecht, a canine behavioral researcher, "interactions work best when dogs set the tone and pace," whether it is with humans or other animals. However, what made the two animals bond instantly were the playful drops of kitten milk that spilled onto the little kitten from a milk bottle. Paxton and Polly had been inseparable since that fun moment. Webb said that Paxton would always lick Polly and play with her. He instantly fell in love with the kitten who added more life and happiness to their home. Polly seemed to be blind for weeks but Paxton had been by her side during this period. He would lick her eyes gently and cuddle with her new buddy. Though Polly couldn't see, Webb believed that she had the same, strong feelings for Paxton. "She would be in a room standing so still, I think she heard his nails and she would go bolting over to him," she said.
Polly's sight slowly developed and since then, she could follow Paxton around the house. Whenever her new lab friend got out of her sight, Polly would get angry and cry. When Paxton is outside and Polly is inside, she will keep crying. On the one hand, if Polly is outside, Paxton will patiently wait for her to come back home. Webb said that they have three other cats and they all loved to cuddle and play with Paxtons. She is very happy that all his pets get along well with one another. Nonetheless, the friendship of Paxton and Polly is what warms his heart the most.
According to Webb, she thinks that Paxton sees Polly as his little sister but now that she is growing up, he thinks of the kitten as a little sister to put up with. The duo always cheers her and her husband up when they are having a bad day. "They make us laugh and smile, it's heart-warming. They truly love one another." Here's hoping Paxton and Polly will stick together and be best buddies forever. If you loved this story, feel free to follow Pax and Polly on their own Instagram page. Also, don't miss this adorable video of Polly snuggling with her Labrador friend, Paxton: