A Great Dane and kitten duo have shown the world that best friends can come in all shapes and sizes, with their unexpected bond has delighted internet users.
Dog owners Samantha and Annaleise Kildow, of New York City, weren’t sure how their Great Dane, named Finn, would react to the addition of a kitten in their home. As it turns out, they really had nothing to worry about.
The Kildows rescued the kitten, called Art, who is now 8 weeks old, after he was discovered in a rainstorm and abandoned by his mother—and they have provided him with a loving forever home.
The couple had their initial reservations about how 5-year-old Finn would interact with the tiny kitten, with Samantha Kildow telling Newsweek they feared he might think Art was a squirrel, “which he loves to chase.” They monitored the pair’s interactions during the early days, but it was clear from the start that Finn knew to be very gentle around his new sibling.
“The moment we laid eyes on Art, we knew he was meant to be part of our family. It felt like fate,” Kildow said. “After getting approved, we counted down the days until we could bring him home—and a few days later, he was finally ours. Life hasn’t been the same since, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have found him.
@finnthebigman / TikTok
“We already have one cat, so we knew Finn would be fine with him eventually. Their friendship started forming within just a few days of getting Art. He loves Finn and always tries to cuddle up to him anytime he can.”
As Art is still so young, he’s full of energy and spends half the day running round and causing mischief. But once he’s done with the chaos, he will usually seek out his Great Dane brother and they cuddle up to each other for a nap.
Kildow shared an adorable clip of Finn bonding with his new sibling on TikTok at @finnthebigman. The footage shows the huge “cow dog” approaching Art slowly and being very calm around the tiny kitten. Indeed, Finn is even happy to let his feline brother paw at him and try to play, before offering up his ear “to use as a blankie” because Art is so much smaller than him.
Since the video was shared on October 6, it has delighted internet users and gained than 2.2 million views and over 130,600 likes on TikTok.
Finn has certainly welcomed Art into the family with open arms, and their owners have loved seeing their budding friendship. Samantha Kildow told Newsweek that they love seeing the pair “snuggling together” at home, and the size disparity between them really doesn’t seem to be an issue.
“Finn is a gentle giant with all animals, especially his brother. He has no idea that there is a size difference. He thinks that he is only 10 pounds,” she joked.
Of course, Art isn’t Finn’s only friend as the Kildows also have two other dogs and another cat at home, and he’s loving towards all of them. This is a common trait among Great Danes, as the American Kennel Club suggests that they are highly affectionate with their family, and can be good with other dogs or children.
How Did TikTok React?
Since the clip of Finn and Art’s friendship went viral on TikTok, internet users have hailed the unlikely friendship between the pets. With over 500 comments on the TikTok post, many people praised Finn for being so placid and calm around his new sibling.
One comment reads: “This kitten probably weighs less than this dog’s dinner. Love when big and small animals love each other.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “I teared up omg this is precious, your dog is such a gentle giant.”
“Kitty got bodyguard,” joked another TikToker.
While another commenter responded: “Oh my God the ear blanket is so cute.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
