Cat Realizes They 'Aren't the Favorite' As Owner Cuddles Golden Retriever

An adorably fluffy cat has been filmed turning her back on her owner in response to seeing her shower affection on a golden retriever.

Zoey the rescue cat's reaction has left viewers on TikTok in stitches with many finding the scenario painfully relatable. The footage was posted to the social media platform under the handle fatcat391 and has already been watched more than 7.9 million times.

It's further evidence of the complex relationship cats and dogs have when cohabiting with an owner.

The unique nature of these mixed-species relationships was explored in a 2018 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior which saw pet owners who had both cats and dogs surveyed as part of the research.

The findings showed that while dogs and cats were capable of living amicably, only a handful of respondents reported their cats and dogs as having a close relationship.

What was noticeable was that it tended to be the cat who called the shots and set the mood. If they felt comfortable around the dog then the relationship tended to be an amicable one.

Cats were also found to be likely to feel more uncomfortable around dogs than vice versa and also displayed more aggressive and antagonizing behaviors in moments of friction than their four-legged pet rivals.

The study concluded that the key to forming a close bond between cat and dog was early exposure, while scenarios where an already established house cat was joined by a new dog also tended to lead to a more positive relationship between the two species.

It's not entirely clear what Zoey thinks of her golden retriever pal in the video but her expression suggests it's not necessarily positive. Then again, there may be another reason for her unhappy demeanor, which is hinted at by the empty food bowl on show.

As Zoey's Instagram bio confirms, she is "on a diet" and "not happy about it" which may well explain her attitude in the footage. Yet for most commenting on the clip via TikTok, her hilarious reaction was a sight to behold.

Captioning the footage, Zoey's owner summed it up best, writing: "The moment you realize you aren't the favorite child."

The video was a relatable one for many. Urfavvvirgo said, "Me when my boyfriend is getting a little too close with other girls," while OfficialRoctivgaming wrote, "Damn I felt that."

Others claimed to have been reduced to tears by the video.

"I cried," car0my wrote, with angie_far1as adding, "She looks so sad I'm literally crying my eyeballs out."

Lizlo341 said: "Oh my goodness I'll be right over with some treats" in response to the footage.

Fans need not worry too much though, with several subsequent videos showing Zoey and her canine companion happily co-existing with plenty of cuddles dished out to both of them.

Newsweek has contacted fatcat391 for comment.