Cat Falling in Love With Kitten Sibling Melts Heart: 'A Bond Like No Other'

A video of a cat and a kitten developing an inseparable bond has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was posted on July 21 by @jaxstur, the TikTok account of cat siblings Jax and Ava. It has received over 394,000 views at the time of writing.

A caption shared with the post reads: "the story of Jax & Ava." The clip shows various shots of the feline duo around the home, with Jax initially appearing to watch Ava from a distance, while she later attempts to give him a nose bump. The pair are gradually seen getting closer, from play-fighting each other to cuddling and snoozing together.

A message overlaid on the video later reads: "Who knew that adopting another cat would create a bond like no other."

The close bond between these two feline housemates is not surprising, as cats that live together can even learn each other's names, according to an April 2022 study published in Scientific Reports.

The findings of the Japanese study, which observed household cats belonging to cat cafés where many animals live together, showed that felines learn the names of their "friend cats" in their daily lives.

The study found that "cats expect a specific face upon hearing the specific name of a companion" through the "spontaneous learning of relationships between names and faces in their everyday experiences, similar to what human children do."

Molly DeVoss is a certified feline training and behavior specialist (CFTBS) and certified cat behavior consultant (CCBC). She previously told Newsweek that all new cat introductions should be done slowly and methodically.

The new cat should be initially placed in a sanctuary room before being introduced in the same space. Treats and other rewards need to be shared when the two cats are in proximity to one another.

'The Best Big Brother Ever'

A message overlaid on the viral clip reads: "Jax was an only child spoiled like no other. Little did he know he was about to be a brother." The footage shows a cat sprawled out on a couch while sleeping on his back.

"Ava was brought home and was as loving as can be," a subsequent note adds, as another cat is shown standing in an empty sink while being petted by a hand.

"But Jax watched her from a distance, he wasn't quite ready to meet," the note reads. Jax is seen sitting up near a door, while Ava is seen playing in a cat tunnel in another room.

"It took a bit of time but they started to move close and Ava was determined to give him a boop on the nose," another message reads, as the cat duo is seen with their noses touching.

The video says Jax let Ava eat his food and play with his favorite toy. "Doing things together started bringing them so much joy," another note reads.

Jax is protective of Ava, "takes care of her" and "learned to be the best big brother," according to other messages overlaid on the video.

The pair are seen curled up next to each other on a bed as another note reads: "To this day, all Ava wants to do is to be bedside Jax."

The latest clip has melted the hearts of TikTok users.

Mimitees wrote, "Such a sweet story!" while User160682840921 posted: "Such cuties."

Zamora commented that Jax is the "best big brother ever."

Phebe wrote, "ohhh I'm crying, so sweet," and user@jolandathepanda added: "I cried. i admit it. So sweet!"

User dawnkenyon1 posted: "That is a beautiful story. How gorgeous are your babies."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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