So Long and Thanks For All The Tunafish!

April 9, 2011 6:12 PM

Domestic Cat and Captive Dolphin make nice [SLYT]
posted by humannaire (45 comments total)

Aww.
posted by amro at 6:19 PM on April 9, 2011

MR. SNUGGLESWORTH DEMANDS THAT HIS DINNER BE MINIATURIZED!
posted by kbanas at 6:20 PM on April 9, 2011 [9 favorites]

Interspecies snorgling...
posted by strixus at 6:22 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

my 50 lb siberian husky (a breed known for it's hunting drive when it comes to small mammals) encountered a 20 lb, formally feral, cat with all his claws this week, I managed to catch the results with the video camera on my phone. Interaction between species can be disturbing....
posted by tomswift at 6:26 PM on April 9, 2011 [6 favorites]

Holy moly, that is weapons-grade adorable.
posted by brundlefly at 6:31 PM on April 9, 2011 [4 favorites]

To me it looks more like:

Dolphin: Hi! Hi! Let's play! Hi! Hi!
Cat: [NEW CREATURE DETECTED, MUST RUB SCENT GLANDS.]
Dolphin: Hey, nice to meet you! What's up? Hey did you meet this other--
Cat: NOT DONE MARKING. RETURN, CREATURE. RECEIVE SCENT.

posted by Rhomboid at 6:33 PM on April 9, 2011 [47 favorites]

*explodes*
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:33 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

my 50 lb siberian husky (a breed known for it's hunting drive when it comes to small mammals) encountered a 20 lb, formally feral, cat with all his claws this week, I managed to catch the results with the video camera on my phone. Interaction between species can be disturbing....

The blood. Oh, the blood.
posted by kbanas at 6:35 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Cat has fish breath, attracts attention of hungry dolphin.
posted by stbalbach at 6:37 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Weirdly that looks exactly like my cat. I'm tempted to tell my 4 year old that this is what he does on holiday.
posted by Artw at 6:39 PM on April 9, 2011 [20 favorites]

personally I thought it was inter species communication.
essentially:

-man humans are sure a bunch of dipshits eh?
-yeah but they do bring us food.
-screw that, you attack by sea and we'll attack by land. We'll incapacitate them with our power of cuteness and then ly waste to their so called civilization.
-well.... ok.
posted by edgeways at 6:42 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

ee'ee e eeeee!
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:50 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

I liked the second video better. The one where the cat eats the smaller dolphin. Who would have thought he'd snag that thing onto the boat?
posted by cjorgensen at 6:50 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Predator vs. Predator: Snuggletime.
posted by ennui.bz at 6:52 PM on April 9, 2011 [6 favorites]

That's just about the most awesomely awesomest thing ever. Awesome.
posted by mudpuppie at 6:54 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

So cool :)

here are some pastel pussies (slow load but worth it)
posted by puny human at 7:10 PM on April 9, 2011

That's definitely a 9.3 on the Squeeeee! scale.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:25 PM on April 9, 2011

I put this video on and my cat immediately walked up to the computer and started watching with great interest.
posted by moss at 7:43 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

mmmm... Giant Tuna!!
posted by Blasdelb at 7:44 PM on April 9, 2011

I assume they're basically bonding over a love of fish.

"I like tuna!"

"So do I! It's awesome!"

CUDDLES COMMENCE
posted by Tomorrowful at 7:46 PM on April 9, 2011 [7 favorites]

My take-away from this video: My cat needs a dolphin now.
posted by contessa at 8:23 PM on April 9, 2011 [2 favorites]

Can I kill and eat this?
Can I receive pettings and cuddles from this?
posted by amethysts at 8:25 PM on April 9, 2011 [4 favorites]

I always have the same reaction to these videos... I kept expecting the dolphin to grab the cat and swim away to enjoy a light snack. I'm happy that's not what happened. The husky and kitty were cute, too. I mean horrifying... yeah.
posted by Huck500 at 8:26 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Racoon + Kitten
posted by isopraxis at 8:31 PM on April 9, 2011

Obviously, that cat is training the dolphins to provide the essential head rubbies.

And people think DOLPHINS are so smart.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 8:35 PM on April 9, 2011 [4 favorites]

I've run out of superlatives. I will not rest until this is what my retirement* looks like.

*Yes, of course Nosy. Our retirement.
posted by Space Kitty at 8:41 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

That cat looks a lot like our evil polydactyl kitty, Digit.

Let us hope the cats with thumbs never join forces with the dolphins or it will be the end of us all.
posted by smartyboots at 9:15 PM on April 9, 2011

I watched and worried about cross-species infections.'

Cats' mouths contain Pasturella, which is lethal to birds but present and benign in most (terrestrial?) mammals. Is Pasturella present in dolphins, or is there a risk of it being transmitted and and novel to dolphins?

Toxo, which infects otters when cat feces is flushed down toilets, is I presume not a risk in this case until the cat licks its ass?
posted by orthogonality at 9:24 PM on April 9, 2011

Cats think they're smart. Dolphins are smart (and know it!). I bet that cat thinks it's so clever, getting the dolphin to snuggle and eventually let down its guard until the cat can gnaw on its face! What the cat doesn't know is that the dolphin is pretending to be nice and cute and playful and snuggly...for now. But later, when the cat is least expecting it, THEN WE'LL SEE WHO'S TASTY!

Jokes aside, that video was adorable. And OMG does that cat ever look like the reincarnation of my old cat. *sniff*
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:46 PM on April 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Melting my heart...
posted by Slackermagee at 10:08 PM on April 9, 2011

It is interesting that the dolphin "bats" or strokes its head on the underside of the cat's muzzle, given that that's what cats do (in order to get their scent on you).

When my cat was feral, she'd jump up to rub the top of her head on my hand. Now that she owns me and gets food whenever she meows, not so much.
posted by orthogonality at 12:09 AM on April 10, 2011

The cat in the video is a dead ringer for my own tabby who is an absolute maniac for the head rub. Since Phineas spends approximately 20% of his awake time forcing me to rub his face I have no doubt if he had access to dolphins they would also be shanghaied into stroking servitude.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:55 AM on April 10, 2011 [2 favorites]

smartyboots: "That cat looks a lot like our evil polydactyl kitty, Digit. "

Has Digit joined a British street gang, has he? Started snapping like the Jets are about to rumble? Fear the cats with thumbs...fear them....

That said, this is pure adorable win.
posted by dejah420 at 5:55 AM on April 10, 2011

I kept expecting the dolphin to eat the cat...
posted by Year of meteors at 7:28 AM on April 10, 2011

You want colorful floating water toys? I've got twenty.
But who caaaaaaaares.... No big deeeeeealll.......
posted by dracomarca at 9:00 AM on April 10, 2011

Where is this? I'm planning my next vacation, I need to know.
posted by Leta at 9:25 AM on April 10, 2011

That porpoise looks just like my old porpoise!
posted by kingv at 9:36 AM on April 10, 2011 [9 favorites]

The cat is only interested in the dolphin because the dolphin's breath smells like fish.

Perhaps dolphin has the same interest in the cat.

Interest ends when either cat scratches dolphin and dolphin submerges, or dolphin soaks cat. Cue soaked cat doing affronted, shaky-leg walk away from dolphin, angrily flicking tail.

It's still adorable, though!
posted by misha at 9:44 AM on April 10, 2011

I wonder what the dolphin thinks about the texture-feel of the cat's soft fur. I imagine it's not something it has encountered before.
posted by marble at 10:20 AM on April 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

I just love the idea that the dolphin is talking to its friends right now saying things like "Whoa, it was so weird, it was all soft and fluffy..."
posted by quin at 10:21 AM on April 10, 2011 [7 favorites]

And on non-preview, I see I'm not the only one thinking this way.
posted by quin at 10:22 AM on April 10, 2011

Was that an affectionate head rub or a marking-my-territory head rub from the cat?
posted by maudlin at 10:31 AM on April 10, 2011

"AND now I have my own pack of Dolphins. The leaders of the revolution will be pleased."
also: Awwwwww.
posted by djrock3k at 4:17 PM on April 10, 2011

"Oh, HEY, another thing that smells like dead fish! I've got to rub it!"
posted by nzero at 5:35 PM on April 10, 2011

Hey? The video is gone. What's up with that?
posted by goodsignal at 6:12 PM on April 25, 2011