Dog owner installs pet flap and finds unlikely animal in bulldog’s bed

A dog owner installed a pet flap to help their neighbour’s pet feel more welcome – and it ended up with one of her dogs being ousted from their own bed. Choosing to open your home to an animal can be one of the most rewarding things a person can do but sometimes, it’s not just your own pets who decide to make your home their own.

One woman soon discovered this when her neighbour’s cat continued visiting her house. It was so constant, they even installed a cat flap for him. Oliver, a large black and white cat, lives in a home with “six small humans” so often ventures to neighbouring houses to indulge in “quiet time” and take a nap.

One of his neighbours is home to eight-year-old bulldog Emmie and an 11-year-old golden Labrador named Gunny. Their lives are documented on the popular social media page, English Bulldog Emmie.

The short biography on the pet-focused page reads: “Adventures of [an] 8-year-old Bulldog. Her 11-year-old Lab brother, Gunny & their best pal Neighbour Cat Oliver”.

Recently, a video highlighted Oliver’s exploits, showcasing him lounging on the decking with Emmie and Gunny before sauntering through the cat flap and going for a nap in various spots around the house – including Gunny’s bed.

Over the top of the clip, text overlay offered further insight: “We put in a cat door for his visits. He likes to come over for naps. Our house is pretty quiet.

“He acts like he lives here but he lives next door. His family has 6 small humans, so I guess he needs some quiet time. Done napping.”

In the caption accompanying the video, the dogs’ owners penned: “Sneaky sleepy neighbor cat.”

Towards the end of the footage, Oliver was seen leaving and heading towards his “favourite” neighbour’s house several doors down.

People were keen to share their thoughts in the comments section. One person said: “If YOUR home isn’t his favourite I need to see what the ‘favorite’ neighbour has!!!”

Another joked: “Oliver has a better social life than me”.

A third said: “Six small humans? Yes, I see why he comes over for naps.”

Someone else commented: “You installed a cat door just for him. So sweet”.

Another said: “At least he goes home.”

And another said: “Our neighbour’s dog thinks he lives with us. He doesn’t go home until we leave home for work hahaha”.

Another Instagram user shared: “Our cat Maverick would go over to our neighbours house and watch I Love Lucy reruns with her every morning at 7am. Lol. He was so great!”

Someone else added: “Love this cat. And love that you and the neighbours share him. What personality he has!”

The Dogs Trust states: “Many dogs can live peacefully with cats, often forming a close relationship where they can even sleep together and clean each other.”

But before you begin introducing any animals, it’s important to remember “this is not always the case – not all dogs and cats can live together.”

The charity adds: “Some cats may be very nervous of dogs, and even a calm dog may scare your cat so much that their welfare is compromised. Likewise, there are some dogs whose predatory drive is so strong they cannot safely be left with cats at all.”