Life is hard for everyone— but those with disabilities face particular challenges. Whether it’s a small trip to the store or a seemingly meaningless task, for some people, these activities can be overwhelming. That’s the kind of situation a blind farm dog named Terfel was in when he developed an unlikely friendship with a stray cat named Pudditat.
Terfel is a 14-year-old chocolate brown lab with eyes that could melt your heart. He enjoys a peaceful life with his owner Judy Godfrey-Brown in Holyhead North Wales; however, his past wasn’t always so pleasant.
Terfel was abused by his former owners when he was just a little puppy. In a segment of The Secret Life of Cats, produced by National Geographic, his current owner Judy says:
“I was told that he’d been thrown against a wall and that has caused his blindness. So, it must have been quite traumatic for him at the time.”
Terfel’s vision problems started when he was thrown against the wall. By the time he had reached 8-years-old, however, cataracts began to form and his sight grew increasingly worse.
As Terfel lost more of his vision, he had more trouble finding his way around the house. The poor pup would constantly bump into furniture and walls, hurting himself in the process.
After a while, Terfel completely gave up on navigating. He spent all his days huddled in a basket, refusing to venture out alone. Then, an unlikely friend stepped in to help him.
Meet Pudditat!
Pudditat is a stray cat that adopted Judy as her own. By all accounts, the kitty didn’t take well to other felines and enjoyed bullying them and being the boss— but when it came to Terfal, Pudditat immediately fell in love.
“[Pudditat] prefers Terfal to any of the other cats,” Judy said.
“I think he must have known Terfel was blind because he sort of bonded with him straight away.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it— most cats and dogs hate each other.”
Pudditat’s presence seemed to comfort the old dog. And when he had taken over the role of Terfal’s best friend, cuddle buddy, and companion— he also added “seeing eye cat” to the list!
Pudditat helps Terfal explore the house by staying right by his side. Now, Judy says Terfal relies”on Pudditat to help him get around and avoid bumping things.” Heck, this seeing eye kitty even opens doors!
“[Pudditat] uses his paws to guide him. They are glued to each other.”
“It’s often when they’re out, they’re nose to tail with Pudditat in the lead and Terfel following him.”
“It’s lovely to see— especially when you’re used to dogs chasing cats,” Judy said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a [dog-cat duo] that have got on quite so well as these two— and relied upon each other in the same way.”
Hear their incredible story below!
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