<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">“<a href="https://www.fark.com/goto/11039434/www.today.com/pets/grieving-pit-bull-becomes-best-buddies-tiny-kitten-t202493%3Futm_source%3Dfark%26" target="_blank" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I've always said that our pets find us; we don't find them. I think that really has held true (for me), especially with these two" Welcome to Caturday</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">. </span><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of <i>Today</i> at:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.today.com/pets/grieving-pit-bull-becomes-best-buddies-tiny-kitten-t202493?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark">https://www.today.com/pets/grieving-pit-bull-becomes-best-buddies-tiny-kitten-t202493?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark</a></div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">——————————————-</span></div><div><h1 class="article-hero__headline f8 f9-m fw3 mb3 mt0 publico-hed lh-title" data-test="article-hero__headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 3rem; margin: var(--spacing-0) 0px var(--spacing-3); font-family: PublicoHeadline, Georgia, TimesNewRoman, "Times New Roman", Times, Baskerville, serif; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.25; color: rgb(56, 5, 56); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">'Best buddies': Grieving pit bull finds joy again with new kitten companion</h1><div class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: PublicoText, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><div class="article-dek article-dek__with-image" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: PublicoHeadline, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, Baskerville; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem;">Dude, a rescued pit bull, has formed an unlikely bond with a kitten named Ace.</div></div></div><div><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">A pit bull named Dude learned through personal experience that good things really do come in small packages.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Dude has lived up to his name since being rescued as a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/what-every-puppy-owner-needs-to-know-about-parvo-in-puppies/" target="_blank" style="color: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">parvo puppy</span></a>from a Caribbean island by Florida resident Julie Burroughs in 2015. The affable dog saw her through a divorce and was close with her older pit bull, Harley Jane.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">But when Harley Jane died in February, Dude slipped into a funk.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><br>“I felt really bad for Dude because he was really sad and very mopey,” Burroughs told TODAY. “I even tried pheromone collars. I just knew he needed a friend.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Burroughs, 48, has had a particularly busy schedule this year, working as a finance and insurance manager for an RV dealership, which has seen increased demand during the coronavirus pandemic. So instead of getting another dog, she thought, “I’ll get Dude a kitten.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">This summer, she saw a photo of a tabby kitten rescued by a firefighter: Ace. She instantly knew he was "the one." But incorporating him into the family took a little finesse.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“The first couple weeks were a little interesting getting them used to each other,” she recalled with a laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Dude seemed overly curious about Ace’s crate when she brought the kitty home, so Burroughs kept her dog on a leash for their initial interactions. Then one Saturday night, she decided they had smelled and seen each other enough to just go for it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“They were fine, and now they are best buddies,” she said. “Ace is definitely in charge.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">In fact, the mischievous kitten gets the formerly innocent Dude in trouble quite a bit. Ace will leap onto counters and knock bags of treats to the ground so they can feast together while Burroughs is at work. (She now keeps their treats inside a cabinet.)</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Another time, Burroughs came home to find recipes she’d stacked on her coffee table scattered on the floor — and chewed up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“That’s definitely Ace,” she said. “I’m sure Dude is now participating in some of that because I don’t think Ace ate the paper, but Dude never would have done anything like that before.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); background-color: rgb(248, 248, 248); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">When the unlikely pals aren’t conspiring, they wrestle, play and nap together. Dude dutifully leaves his jaw wide open while Ace bats at his mouth.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Then there are the times when Dude will be lying on the floor and Ace will come running, take a flying jump onto him and bounce off. Dude’s reaction depends on the time of day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“Sometimes Dude will run after Ace and play with him,” Burroughs said. “Sometimes he just lifts his head up like, ‘Really? What are you doing?’”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">The close bond and silly antics of her<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.today.com/pets" target="_blank" style="color: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">pets</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>have been a welcome diversion for Burroughs during the pandemic. She hopes their relationship will help people realize that pit bulls don’t deserve their reputation as being mean or vicious.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="endmarkenabled" style="margin: 1.5rem 0px 0px; font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">“Harley Jane was my first pit bull and she was the sweetest dog, and I think Dude is even sweeter. He’s such a lover,” she said. “I’ve always said that our pets find us; we don’t find them. I think that really has held true (for me), especially with these two.”<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">———————</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Photos . . .</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_01.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_01.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_02.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_02.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_03.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_03.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_04.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_04.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_05.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_120520_05.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">——————————————-</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>“Caturday”</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> by Linus Petit</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_by_Linus_Petit.mp3">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Caturday/Caturday_by_Linus_Petit.mp3</a></div><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.TomandRodna.com/MoscowCares</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“A stranger is just a friend you haven't met.” - Roy E. Stolworthy</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>