This couple always knew that they wanted to get married and start a family one day. They wanted two children so that their kids would always have somebody to play with. But they weren't ready for kids just yet, so they decided to start with pets— more specifically, a Tamaskan puppy named Raven.
They welcomed the pup into their family with open arms. But pretty soon, the couple had a change of heart. They drove back to the shelter where they found Raven, but not for the reasons you might be thinking. Instead, they had a pretty unusual request when they got to the shelter.
Meet Christina And Vincent
This is Christina and her fiancé, Vincent. They live in Odessa, Texas. Christina and Vincent always imagined getting married and starting a big family, just like the families they had grown up in. And now that they were engaged, they wanted to get started as soon as possible.
They were excited to turn their vision for the future into a reality. They thought about when it would be a good time for them to start having children.
The Talk
When it comes time for couples to discuss family planning, there are a lot of factors for them to consider. First of all, can they even afford kids right now? Children can be very expensive. Secondly, is now the right time to have children? Do they want to do any more traveling in the near future?
Couples also have to have conversations about how many children they want to bring into this world. Christina and Vincent had many of these discussions.
A Lot Of Thought
Having kids is more than a full-time job. You have to be fully committed to raising a family and putting all of your time and effort into making sure your kids are happy and healthy. It's important to plan effectively before having kids.
Vincent and Christina talked about it for a long time, and they decided that maybe they should hold off on having children just for the moment.
A Fine Solution
A lot of couples who choose not to have kids choose to raise pets instead. Couples who want kids but aren't quite ready to take that huge step in life may want to start out with a pet as something of a practice run.
A lot of people treat their pets like children. Some people even go so far as to refer to their pets as their "fur babies" or "fur kids."
Their Big Decision
Christina and Vincent decided that they wanted to adopt a pet first and put off having children until later. They visited many shelters around their home town because they had a very clear "adopt, don't shop" policy.
After considering all their options, Christina and Vincent decided to adopt a Tamaskan puppy that they named Raven. Raven made an excellent addition to their little family, but Christina and Vincent soon realized that they had made a mistake...
As Cute As Can Be
It didn't take very long for Raven to adjust to her new life with Vincent and Christina. She was eating well and sleeping well. She loved to play and to run around their house. Raven was very cuddly and overall, she was a very well-behaved puppy. Sometimes she chewed things she shouldn't chew, but Vincent and Christina forgave her because she was so darn cute.
But as the couple got to know Raven, they noticed something about her that they just couldn't ignore.
A Ball Of Energy
Raven was a very energetic puppy, and while Christina and Vincent were pretty energetic people, it was becoming more difficult for them to keep up with the little pup.
Christina and Vincent were happy with their little family, but they worried about Raven getting lonely when they weren't home.
On A Mission
Christina, Vincent, and Raven all headed back to the shelter. Raven was a little bit nervous to be going back to her previous home.
Christina was a bit worried that Raven would think that they didn't want her anymore and that they were returning her to the shelter for good.
Christina Didn't Feel Right
Although the couple now had Raven, Christina didn't feel right. "I had always wanted a dog and a cat to grow up together. It's been like a life goal," Christina said.
It wasn't until after she adopted the puppy that Christina realized her home didn't feel complete. She knew that she had to do something about it.
Meet Woodhouse
Christina, Vincent, and Raven looked at a whole bunch of kittens before they found the kitten that was meant for them. All three members of this little family immediately formed a connection with a fluffy kitten who just wouldn't leave them alone.
They signed the adoption papers on the spot and Woodhouse the kitten officially became a part of the squad. That day, a family of three became a family of four.
Best Friends From The Start
"I wanted them to be able to get along well. [I wanted] her to actually meet the cat and have the cat get along with the dog as well," Christina explained. As you can see in the photo above, that is exactly what happened.
Raven and Woodhouse bonded quickly, and since then they've been the best of friends. What's that thing people say about fighting like cats and dogs? These two are challenging everything we believe about interspecies relationships.
Sharing Is Caring
Christina hoped Woodhouse and Raven would get along, but she thought that they may need some time to get used to each other. It turns out, these two jumped right into being friends. As soon as they got home, Raven and Woodhouse were drinking out of the same water bowl.
Christina explained, "At one point Raven grabbed one of her peanut butter rawhides and held it for Woodhouse to lick."
Fast Friends
Raven and Woodhouse wanted to spend as much time together as possible. They would curl up with each other on the couch and play together all the time. They liked going on walks to the park together, and Raven loved sharing her toys with Woodhouse.
It was like these two would never get tired of each other. Raven absolutely loved having a sibling and Woodhouse really loved his forever home.
Who's Really Top Dog?
Raven is much bigger and stronger than Woodhouse, but Woodhouse still bosses around Raven all the time. Clearly, Woodhouse is the more dominant one out of the two of them.
Raven doesn't mind being bossed around by Woodhouse, though. She's totally content to let Woodhouse be the leader. She's just accepted that cats are bossy and dogs are more content to go with the flow.
Riding Around
Both Woodhouse and Raven love joining their owners Vincent and Christina when they go on long car trips. These two animals squish themselves together on couches and on beds when they're in the house or when they're outside, so they don't mind squishing together inside a small car.
Woodhouse and Raven have been on many car journeys together, but there's one place in particular that they love to visit.
Beach Day Is Everyday
These animals absolutely love going to the beach. Luckily, there's a secluded beach that's pretty close to Vincent and Christina's home.
You'd think that Woodhouse wouldn't like going to the beach because we've all heard that cats and water don't mix, but Woodhouse absolutely loves playing in the sand with his good pal Raven. Sometimes he even dips his little toes in the water as it rolls onto the shore.
These Two Are Models
There isn't a holiday that goes by that Vincent, Christina, Woodhouse, and Raven don't celebrate. They especially love celebrating the Fourth of July together. Raven and Woodhouse are clearly very patriotic animals.
These two get dressed up for every occasion, but they look particularly excellent in red, white, and blue. These two are American animals, through and through. Raven's snazzy bandana really makes her look like a professional doggy model.
Happy Birthday To You
Woodhouse and Raven get to celebrate their birthdays together every year. One year, Vincent and Christina made them this very fancy hotdog, peanut butter, and wet food birthday cake.
It's not clear if Woodhouse is into that very special combination of flavors, but Raven definitely looks like she's enjoying herself. After all, what's not to love about peanut butter on a hotdog? Sorry, joking. Most people would rather have their hotdogs with ketchup and mustard.
Merry Christmas, Little Family!
Christina and Vincent had created a family. It wasn't just the two of them anymore. They had to include their whole family in their Christmas photos, so that's exactly what they did. Raven almost looks like she's smiling in this photo. Woodhouse looks kind of bored. We get it, bud— posing for pictures is no fun at all.
Maybe Christina and Vincent will have children one day, but for now, they have more than enough love in their lives.
The Odd Couple
Woodhouse and Raven aren't the most likely of friends, but they were able to embrace each other's differences and develop a bond that most people can't even understand. These two are going to be in each other's lives forever, and they couldn't be more happy about that fact.
Hopefully, when Christina and Vincent have children, Raven and Woodhouse will accept those babies as their siblings just like they accepted each other.
The Best Kind Of Love
These two are chilling and hanging out like they were meant to find each other and be best friends. In a way, they're kind of like Vincent and Christina. They just get each other. This is exactly what Vincent and Christina were hoping for when they set out to create a family.
They are so happy that they decided to go back to the shelter to find a friend for Raven. Their lives just wouldn't be the same without Woodhouse.
Crowds Stand In Awe As A Bear Encounters A House Cat In Its Enclosure
In 2000, at the Berlin Zoo, zookeepers and other employees were observing the enclosure of am Asiatic bear named Mäuschen when they were completely taken aback. They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw a small black house cat that they later named Muschi wandering around inside of the bear’s enclosure.
Naturally, a small cat would be prey to a bear like Mäuschen, so they feared that they were about to watch Muschi be killed right in front of them.
A Zoo Favorite
Although there are countless different species residing within the walls of the Berlin Zoo, Mäuschen the bear was a favorite among both visitors and workers. Not only did everyone think that she was a gorgeous animal, but they also admired both her size and strength.
So, when they saw Muschi in the same area as her, they knew exactly what Mäuschen was capable of and if things went terribly wrong it was not going to be a pretty sight.
The First Sighting
Muschi was first spotted by a zoo employee early in the morning while they were in Mäuschen's enclosure, making sure that she had enough food for her breakfast. The cat was seen sitting on a branch up in a tree.
This was out of the ordinary because they definitely didn’t have an exhibit for house cats in the zoo, so they weren’t entirely sure where it came from. Yet, at the time, they weren’t too concerned about the cat being in the tree.
The Situation Changed Drastically
Of course, it wasn't long until Mäuschen eventually noticed the cat in the tree and immediately became interested. People weren’t sure if Mäuschen was just curious or if it saw the cat as a quick snack and a change of diet from its regular food.
Mäuschen then began to slowly make its way to where the cat was perched in the tree. To the bystander’s amazement, the cat then jumped from the branch and onto the ground inside of the enclosure.
Everyone Was Amazed
Everyone watching soon became astonished, when in fact, the opposite of what they had feared happened. Mäuschen wasn't aggressive towards the cat whatsoever but was in fact enamored by it.
The two became fast friends, something that went against what some people might call the laws of nature. Not only were the two friendly towards each other, but the pair soon became inseparable from one another.
They Had To Be Separated
Fortunately, in 2007, the Berlin Zoo decided that it was necessary to expand Mäuschen's enclosure to improve her quality of life. While this was a great decision and benefited Mäuschen, it also posed a problem.
While her enclosure was under construction, it meant that Mäuschen and Muschi had to be separated for some time. Considering that the two were best friends by this point, neither was happy from being away from each other.
They Missed Each Other Dearly
Even though the two would have an even better life as soon as Mäuschen's enclosure was finished, neither understood what was happening. They both most likely thought they had been separated for good and neither were happy with the current situation they had found themselves in.
Muschi would even sit outside of Mäuschen’s cage all night. Of course, this made all of the zookeepers feel terrible for separating an already particularly unique and beautiful relationship.
They Were Finally Reunited
Although the two had a hard time being separated from one another, their suffering came to an end as soon as Mäuschen's enclosure was no longer under construction. After getting used to her new and improved home, the two were reunited and were overjoyed to finally be back together like the old days.
Unsurprisingly, the couple’s rekindled relationship began to attract a lot of attention not just from the zoo’s employees but the visitors as well.
The Real Question
Soon after the two were back together again, people started coming around from all over to see for themselves the cat and the bear who were best buds. It is truly shocking to see two animals that you would never normally see together as inseparable as the two were.
While everyone was fascinated by their relationship, people soon began asking questions. One of the most popular questions was where did Muschi come from in the first place?
Studying Their Relationship
While everyone was curious how Muschi made its way into the zoo and later into Mäuschen's enclosure, they never did get a solid answer. However, what was more fascinating than Muschi’s rather random appearance was the couple’s extremely unlikely friendship.
Why was Muschi so inclined to climb into the enclosure and get close to a predator that her instincts should have told her to stay away from? The zookeepers began to think that the two had been destined to meet.
A Lesson To Be Learned
Yes, Muschi and Mäuschen's friendship is incredibly unique and very adorable, but it also has a deeper meaning. Nobody ever thought that a random cat and bear that didn’t grow up together would become the best of friends.
They are living proof that even though people are different whether it’s their race, culture, or personality, friendships can blossom out of anywhere! People don’t have to hang around with the same people because friendship can be found in the most unexpected places.
