Woman asks 'is this normal' after catching her dog and cat doing something unexpected

You can never quite predict how a dog and a cat will react to being in a room together and sharing the same home. The phrase 'fighting like cats and dogs' suggests these animals are naturally at odds, and this belief has been reinforced through countless cartoons and films.

However, in reality, many cats and dogs form wonderful friendships and become devoted companions. One pet owner was left baffled when she witnessed what her dog and kitten were up to at home. She turned to Reddit to share footage of the unlikely pair on a bed, with the canine actually nursing the young feline.

The pooch remains glued to the television while the kitten appears to suckle from its mammary area, placing a small paw on the dog's body.

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Confused by the scene, the pet owner can be heard questioning what on earth is happening.

In her Reddit post, she wrote: "My dog is nursing my kitten. Is this normal???" She explained further that her dog has never been pregnant or had puppies, but is now producing a "cloudy like substance."

She shared that the canine often watches TV while nursing the kitten for hours on end.

Unsure about the next steps, the user got advice from fellow forum members about whether to allow this behaviour to continue, asking if others had witnessed similar situations with their kittens.

The post has attracted more than 1,000 comments with fellow Redditors offering their take on the situation.

One commented: "[The] kitten might have been taken from its mother too soon. Continuing to nurse, even on a dog, is probably good for its future mental health.

"Kittens need that mothering. It's nice that your dog doesn't mind it." Another said: "I'd start with asking your vet about the substance your dog is producing.

"It's probably a hormonal reaction to the kitten trying to nurse - but you should get a trained opinion. There's a vet channel on Reddit but I'd contact your regular vet asap.

"On the non-medical issue: lovely that your kitten feels protected by your dog and your dog is so happy to be in a maternal role.

"Rescues and shelters often share stories of nursing dogs or cats caring for a baby or litter of the other species.

"It can help all the animals if one was weaned too soon, lost a baby, etc. Great that you have a happy home."

A third user revealed that after their old dog had just experienced her first heat, when they brought a new kitten into the home the dog began producing milk to feed it.

They explained that the kitten was nine-weeks-old and "well-passed the weaning stage" but both pets "seemed to enjoy it."

They added: "The vet said it was harmless and it would eventually stop, which it did when the kitten was about 5 months old."

Wag!, a US pet care firm, explains that female dogs can produce milk, or what appears to be milk, even if they are not pregnant or have not recently given birth.

One reason for this is false pregnancy, a condition where a female dog shows various signs of pregnancy, such as producing milk, without actually being pregnant.

It also mentions that female dogs can produce milk when another animal, like a puppy or kitten, suckles and kneads her mammary area, even if she's not pregnant or has recently given birth.

Wag! notes that most of the time, milk production is a natural and harmless bodily process, but it can occasionally indicate a more serious underlying problem.

It advises bringing any dog that is producing milk, despite not being recently or currently pregnant, to a vet for a check-up.