I have a soft spot for cat and horse pictures, so here are some more. One aspect of them that I like is the size difference and how the cat deals with that potential obstacle. It means climbing a fence post or sitting on top of the horse. Those are the usual techniques. Cats and horses have a long history of getting along. Racing stables sometimes employing cats to keep their horses more content. The most famous racehorse to have a cat friend was Godolphin.
All the pictures show a deep affection between domestic cats and horses. The size difference is overcome.
These are thumbnail images. If you click on them you’ll be taken to a larger image.
Horses seem to completely accept a cat perched on their back. Perhaps all horses don’t. It is probably a personal preference. Perhaps, also, these horses are used to having people ride them and are therefore used to having an animal on their back.
Size difference is clearly no barrier to a good inter-species relationship. However, I would have thought that the cat would need to be confident enough to not feel intimidated by the size of a horse.
I learned early when working with skidish race horses that cats are welcome pals to have around. I love both of these animals for their sensitivity, athleticism, grace, emotional depth, personal loyalty, friendliness and general intelligence. I’ve been fortunate to have made many friends of both species.
Hi Michael, Love the pix.
btw, I did a post at tka that had pictures of the same cat horse pair that you start with. It has a bit of the story to go along with it- looks like it’s from the National Enquirer or such. Loved the title- “Love thy Neigh-purr! Hope you don’t mind me giving links to tka, but after all, it is a subdomain POC 😉
http://teh-kitteh-antidote-anecdote.pictures-of-cats.org/2009/03/more-cats-and-horses-interspecies-love.html
Thanks Valley girl. Wonderful link, to link, to link. Watching these is very relaxing to me. It is so easy to see the spirit shared by the cat and horse. It is a lovely sight. Very moving. Thanks to you both.
I am perfectly happy for you to provide links to your blog, VG, especially when it adds to the article.
The cat must try to jump up there without too much use of claws! It’s beautiful. I think both cats and horses and pretty clever and emotionally intelligent animals so it doesn’t suprise me that they seem to get along. Cats do good with deer too. The big gentle herbivores. I remember Lilly back in slovenia in the countryside when she was not even a year old creeping up to this giant cow really slow. The cow was watching her. It was amazing – then she creeped back. I got it all on video too.
Michael have you ever seen the cat/dolphin video? If you search cat + dolphin on youtube you will find it and be amazed I think. Cats have a way of making friends with animals. The animals can really sense the peaceful intentions I guess and it probably all is just a bit of curiosity to start off with before the friendship and cuddling starts.
So beautiful. This is one of the loveliest inter species relationships. Both the cat and the horse are such graceful animals. You can see the understanding and trust is undeniable.
Thank you for these beautiful pictures.
It is a beautiful relationship. It feels as if they are made for each other. I wonder why.
They are lovely photos and show that the different species of the animal kingdom can get along well, they understand each other much more than we understand them.
At our old home we were by a field of cows and our late mother’s cat ‘Kitty’ would sit on the fence and they would come to her and she’d gently head butt them, it was amazing, I wish I had some photos from then.
When I was a boy, I’d make the long trek (about a km, along way for me) to my friends ranch and I’d keep him company as he fed the cattle, horses, etc. I remember more than one barn cat sleeping on top of a horse in the stalls. There was one cat that stayed on as the horse wandered the corral. The thought of that cat up there making claim of the horse as his own tickled me.
Amazing , unbelievable photos, definitely not “Photoshopped”. I never knew that cats and horses got along this well. I know that horses are scared of dogs having witnessed the same at the Mahalaxmi race-course in Mumbai.Horses have bolted during their morning workouts due to a stray dog barking at them.Never ever saw a cat taking such liberties with a horse and i presumed that cats always avoided large animals.