My Cat Tiger and Dog Fluffy are Best Friends

My Cat Tiger and Dog Fluffy are Best Friends

by Zach Atteberry
(Hannibal, Us.)

Tiger (Bengal cat) and Fluffy (miniature poodle)

Tiger (Bengal cat) and Fluffy (miniature poodle)

As seen in this photograph, my cat Tiger my dog Fluffy are best friends, always have been always will be. Both tiger and fluffy were adopted from a torn down pet shop very close to shutting down due to lack of caring, and complaints. This pet shop in particular had dogs literally with no food or water. The owner was evicted from the shop, and forced to shut down. The owners even admitted they didn't like animals.

A dog can be a cat's best friend! Fluffy and Tiger sleep together in the cage by choice and occasionally on my bed. They play with each other all day. Tiger and Fluffy are two wonderful friends to have around, and to play with.

Fluffy cries when tiger isn't around and vice versa, they are ball and chain, flower and petal, without one the other would not be complete.

Fluffy is a miniature poodle, and was 6 months when we got her from the pet shop. Fluffy was isolated in a cage all her life, and in the past abused insidiously. She was also docked by her previous owner. When we first got fluffy she was scared of toys, and bones. In fact she was scared of every object in the house. It took her a good 3 weeks to come around. She's about 1 year old now, and is just now learning to play.

Tiger is a Bengal cat that we got from the same shop, 5 months old. He was declawed by the owner, also had a ear infection and a few other minor things wrong with him, and has already had some biting, and soiling problems. He is now 1 year of age, since December 4th. He is my buddy and always will be.

Tiger and fluffy sleep together every night, and they are great companions and friends to have around. The pain of his declawing effects me deeply, not physically but emotionally, hence that day, I have tried my best to circulate the dreadful information of the declawing surgery, and to help as many claws as possible.

I have fabric like a scratching post, and he has attempted to scratch It, yet has never attempted to scratch the couch.

Even thought he doesn't have claws, the need to scratch is forever. It is a mystery to me why people should declaw such a healthy cat. Goes to show eliminating the problem temporary is not worth the post-operative complications of the surgery.

They are very lovely to have around, and are the best. A cat can be a dog's best friend as well =]

~Zach

My Cat Tiger and Dog Fluffy are Best Friends to Home Page


Hi ZACH.... A Lovely article Zach; a very beautiful and tender story of love and healing. Well done. And you can join the Anti-Declaw troops any day. Any stories you have about declawing or ideas please join in. There is a form on the declawing cats page.

I changed the title a bit to avoid full stops, apostrophes and "&" signs as the search engines don't like them in file names and the title is used as the file name. I hope you don't mind....Michael

Comments for
My Cat Tiger and Dog Fluffy are Best Friends

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Dec 11, 2009 Tiger and Fluffy
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

Hi Zach. Thank you for posting the story of Tiger and Fluffy. You did the right thing by saving these two abused creatures and I hope you'll be rewarded by having them around for many years to come.
And you are so right - declawing doesn't solve anything. It just creates new problems.


Dec 11, 2009 Gold star for Zach
by: Barbara

That's a lovely story Zach, you are an earth anger for sure and you are going to do wonderful things for animals in your lifetime


Dec 11, 2009 Tiger and Fluffy
by: Anonymous

Zach I'm so pleased that after such a miserable start in life, Tiger and Fluffy have found a loving home with you.

I love your description of their close bond as "petal and flower" - that is truly beautiful.

Michele (UK)


Dec 11, 2009 Beautiful Solace
by: Everycat

Zach it's wonderful that Tiger and Fluffy have found such solace in their close friendship, they are a truely empathic animal pair. What's even better is that you took both of them in and gave them a kind, loving and knowledgeable home together. So many animals are not so lucky. Fluffy reminds me of my late Mum's dog, Poppy, she was part poodle and suffered much hideous abuse in her early life, it took her years to learn how to play or accept being stroked or petted without fear.

Thank you for sharing their story.


Dec 11, 2009 Zach
by: Ruth aka Kattaddorra

Hi Zach,I know you by all the anti declaw work you do and you have a HUGE kind heart for such a young person !!Tiger and Fluffy were very lucky to come and live with you, I don't think they'd have survived after their traumas,if you hadn't looked after them.
For anyone who doesn't know Zach, he is a very brave young man ! It's not my story to tell but I know he's gone through a lot in his life and yet here he is, giving his time to help animals.
Also he is a very good poet, maybe he will share some of his very deep work with the readers of Michael's blogs ?
I haven't even a grain of the poetic talent Zach has, but a little while back I wrote this:

DEDICATED TO ZACH

Ann was very happy, she had a new pet,
Her mom picked the phone up. "I'll find her a vet,
Cats need to have their claws taken out"
Ann shouted "Mom, what are you talking about"?
"She won't need those sharp things" her mom replied,
"They're just a nuisance when cats live inside"
Ann thought this over, she hadn't very long,
But how does a child tell a parent she's wrong?
"Mom, please put the phone down and listen to me,
I've learned all about this subject you see.
There's a boy at our school who has opened my eyes
To the truth of declawing and he doesn't tell lies.
Cats need their claws, they are embedded in bone,
So when cats are declawed, their toe ends have gone.
He showed us his posters to prove it was right
And said feeling defenseless makes these cats bite.
Their poor wounded paws are hurting and raw
When they dig in the litter, so they mess on the floor.
Some cats hide away as the pain is so bad
And they never forget this,isn't that sad?
They can't dig their claws in to stretch and stay well,
Or groom, or walk properly, their lives are just hell"
Ann's mom said "That's awful, if it's all true,
So I'll tell you what we are going to do,
Bring me the poster you say that you saw,
I'm almost convinced but I need to know more"
Ann's mom was quite shocked, the more she
found out what declawing a cat was really about.
How many cats suffered, how many cats died
And that cats need their claws,even living inside.
Now Ann?s cat has her claws trimmed, so easy to do
And also a big, strong, tall scratching post too.
She's happy and healthy and very much adored,
A much different story than if she was declawed.
A gold star for Zach, for spreading the truth
He's a shining example of a very caring youth.

BIG hug from me Zach xx Keep up the good work


Dec 11, 2009 Tiger and Fluffy
by: maryh

You sure wound up with two beautiful and unique companions! It sounds like they found the perfect home with you, despite a pretty rough start. I agree with you on the declawing issue... it just makes me sick to think anyone would do this to an animal...but then I feel the same about cutting ears and docking tails etc... No mutilation... that should be Law IMHO 🙂
Sounds like you've done a wonderful job with bringing them both around, Zach, good job!!


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