For a German shepherd named Butta and a tiny kitten named Bella, playtime is basically a full-time job. The unlikely siblings wrestle, chase and tease each other from morning to night — and their mom, Gabrielle, loves every second of their chaos.
“They're just joyful, energetic and playful,” Gabrielle told The Dodo. “They play all the time.”
Gabrielle adopted Bella four months ago and quickly realized that, despite her size, the little kitten had no fear.
“The adoption center said they found her in an abandoned building and she’d been in some fights before, which is why her ears are a little wonky,” Gabrielle wrote on Instagram. “She’s truly a fighter.”
But even a fighter needs a best friend — and Bella found one instantly in Butta. The two roughhouse constantly, but beneath all the wrestling is a deep, unshakable trust.
Gabrielle didn’t fully grasp just how close they were until one day on a road trip to Louisiana. The pair had been playing as usual when they suddenly conked out — in a position Gabrielle couldn’t believe.
“We were on a road trip … they were playing as usual and just happened to fall asleep,” she said. “I was surprised because it was weird that they were like that.”
Bella had curled up and drifted off with her head resting inside Butta’s gentle, open mouth.
He stayed perfectly still, holding her like the world’s strangest — but sweetest — pillow.
Gabrielle watched in disbelief as they stayed that way for several minutes, completely relaxed.
They haven’t recreated the “mouth nap” since, but the moment said everything: these two trust each other completely, and their bond is built to last. And their mom is endlessly grateful for their friendship.
“[Bella’s favorite] place to sleep is in Butta’s mouth,” Gabrielle joked on Instagram. “JK it’s our bed.”
You can follow Butta and Bella’s adorable friendship on Instagram for more of their daily adventures.
