“I’m sure he remembers her.”
When this sweet senior dog named Cleo entered her 11th year, her muzzle whitened with age, a new dawn of sorts overtook what had been the twilight of her life.
That new dawn came about after her family adopted a rambunctious kitten named Groot.
At first, Cleo was skeptical of her feisty new co-pet — but the cat’s energy and loving nature soon proved infectious.
“She became his friend,” Asya Cutrino, the pets’ mom, told The Dodo. “As time went by, they bonded.”
Groot loved nothing more than pawing and pouncing on his older canine companion, who, in turn, seemed to relish his feline affection.
That said, Groot also found peace and comfort in Cleo’s slower pace of life. The pair could often be found nestled by each other’s side in harmony despite their differences.
But the good thing that Groot and Cleo shared couldn’t go on forever.
After 10 months of friendship, Cleo fell ill. A week later, the pup passed away.
“Groot would sit at the front door, waiting for her to come back,” Cutrino said. “She was depressed.”
It was as if the cat’s other half was gone.
Cutrino and her family were saddened by Cleo’s passing as well. To memorialize the beloved dog, they created a large portrait of her to hang on a wall — a way of remembering her smiling face. But they weren’t the only ones to find solace in it.
After hanging the portrait, Cutrino noticed Groot would stop by to gaze upon it as well, reaching out a tender paw to gently stroke Cleo’s face.
“Me and my whole family cried a lot when he did it,” Cutrino said.
@asyacutrino manca tanto anche a me.. 💔😔#perteeee #perte #dogandcat ♬ original sound – <3
Enough time has passed these days that the painful sting of losing Cleo has given way to a more bittersweet remembrance.
“Every now and then, he stops by the portrait. I’m sure he remembers her,” Cutrino said. “When I watch old videos of Cleo, and she’s barking, Groot immediately runs to see if she is there.”
While nothing could ever replace Cleo in the hearts of Groot and his family, they still have plenty of love left to give.
Recently, they adopted a new kitten, whose playful presence has brought new happiness to their lives.
Cutrino’s new kitten never got the chance to meet Cleo, but she’s seen her photo. However, in some way, Cleo’s spirit never really left at all, Cutrino said:
“She is always here, in us and in Groot.”
