Kuu, a 7-year-old cat, did not hesitate for a second.
When Shino, his 17-year-old dog brother, began to forget where he was and wander aimlessly around the house, the cat did not move away as any other companion of a different species would. He stayed. He accompanies him when he becomes disoriented, curls up beside him to calm him, and makes sure he does not hurt himself as Alzheimer’s progresses and clouds his mind.
They grew up together from puppyhood, despite the difference in breed and age, and that shared history seems to be precisely what supports Shino today. Kuu bathes him with licks, comforts him when he gets agitated, and stays close like the anchor his brother needs so as not to become completely lost in his own mind. No veterinarian taught him this: it is pure family instinct.