Bunny, the guide-cat!

Blind humans have guide-dogs to help them move around, and usually these dogs are specially trained to do the job, and they do a mighty good job, too.  But who do blind dogs have to help them move around?  Who helps them?

Well, I wouldn't know about other blind dogs, but I have an almost-blind dog in my house - 14 year-old Bobby.

Here's Bobby sitting on his favourite chair (this rocking chair is everybody's favourite chair in the house, but since Bobby is the oldest resident in the house, he is given the privilege of owning the chair).

Both of Bobby's eyes are already cataracted, and he is almost blind.  He can find his way around the house quite well, has no problems going up the staircase, but he often bumps into the legs of the furniture in the house. 

So, who helps Bobby around the house?

Bunny!

Bunny is from my first litter of rescued cats.  He is now four-and-a-half years old.  Bunny is FIV+ and does get sick quite easily since his immune system is compromised.  But, despite it all, Bunny has now taken upon himself the task of being Bobby's "guide-cat"!

Bobby and his trusty guide-cat, Bunny.

When Bobby sleeps, Bunny tries to catch a nap too.  It's hard work guiding a dog around the house!

The guide-cat is always near.

Whenever Bobby goes down the stairs every morning, Bunny accompanies him down, and he does this by going in front of Bobby, and nudging Bobby towards the right direction.  It's quite amazing and heart-warming just watching the two friends go down the stairs, especially how conscientiously Bunny guides Bobby down, sometimes with a worried look on his face! 

Dog and guide-cat napping while Cow and Cleo look on.

My son, Jia-Wen and Bunny.  Bunny will only sit this way on Jia-Wen's lap.

The other day, a most interesting episode transpired.  Bobby was in Jia-Wen's bedroom and wanted to go out.  He did not know that the door of the room was partially ajar.  Bobby made this way toward the door, and ended up stuck in the triangular corner between the door and the wall. 

Poor Bobby.  He did not know where he was or what had happened, so he just stood there, with this nose facing the door hinge.

But wait....the trusty guide-cat is always near....so good old Bunny came to the rescue.

Bunny walked up to Bobby and began nudging him.  He continued nudging Bobby until Bobby got the message, that he had to back away from the corner.  So, Bobby started walking backways until he came out of the corner, all the while, with Bunny nudging him.   

Without the help of any human, Bunny got Bobby out from that corner, and safely out of the room.

It just completely warms your heart, watching the two of them. 

Bunny Bun Buns, the caring guide-cat to Bobby.

By the way, we did not train Bunny for this job (we wouldn't know how!).  He does it from his heart. 

So, one wonders sometimes, just how much an animal knows. We'll never know, will we?  It also doesn't matter. 

It's not how much we know that matters, but how much we care, and this holds true for animals, too!

Flashback (4 years ago, when Bunny and his siblings, Cow and Pole, were rescued):

Bobby helped look after them...

Bobby had never seen a kitten before.

The kittens were only 2 days old when I found them by the roadside.

Eat your food, Pole.

Bunny, you're going the wrong way.  Over here...

Watch your step, little ones...

One good turn deserves another.

That's a universal law we can't defy!