When Bobby met Socks

For a dog, Jack Russell Bobby has quite unusual taste in friends. He likes to hang out with cats. And, perhaps surprisingly, cats love hanging out with him.

Bobby, nine, had a difficult early life. He was often left alone, at home and in the car, for long periods of time, resulting in quite severe anxiety.

Then in middle age he was adopted by a loving family – with four cats. And, for some reason, in those cats Bobby found the comfort and companionship he craved. He snuggled with them in their bed and lined up to eat with them at dinner time. He was close to one in particular – best friends – and the pair played together and groomed each other.

But, when Bobby was attacked by two dogs in the park, his anxiety increased. His family, busy with young children and work, decided that Bobby needed a calmer home with more of a focus on him. So they made the difficult but brave decision to rehome him. Blue Cross’s Home Direct scheme meant Bobby could stay with his original family until his new, forever family was found.

First step in the adoption process was for Bobby to visit our Blue Cross Manchester Rehoming and Advice Unit for an assessment – so he could be matched with his perfect home.

“Bobby was anxious when he came in but brave too,” Emily Yates, Adoptions and Veterinary Coordinator at the unit, says. “We all fell in love with him. We worried about him leaving his cat friend behind so, when we wrote his adoption profile for the Blue Cross website, we flagged that.”

‘Bobby would love a home with a friendly cat,’ the profile read.

Finding a cat willing to welcome a dog into his family could have been a needle in a haystack situation. But Bobby was in luck. An hour away, in Sheffield, lived a cat called Socks who was grieving for her best friend – Ziggy the Patterdale terrier who’d died, aged 16, after a series of strokes.

“Socks, eight, had never known life without Zigs,” Rob Knight, Socks’ owner, says. “They played together and cuddled up in bed. She was very maternal towards him, licking and washing him. 

"The last few weeks of his life, she knew he didn’t have long – she never left his side. She’s a very loving animal but Zigs was her main love. We were all heartbroken when he died but Socks especially. She scoured the house looking for him. Her coat lost all its shine.

“There’s a chap who lives in the sheltered housing near us who lost his dog too and, every day, Socks visited to keep him company. It’s like she understood they were in the same boat, grieving for their dogs. 

"After losing Zigs my wife Karen and I decided the pain was too much to adopt another dog. But, seeing how low Socks was, we changed our minds. We had to get another dog for her sake. 

"But, we worried, what were the chances of finding a dog who wanted to comfort a grieving cat? Then we saw Bobby on the Blue Cross website and the stars aligned.”

So Rob and Karen drove the hour from their home in Sheffield to meet Bobby at the Blue Cross unit in Radcliffe, Manchester.

“We all seemed to click,” Rob said. “The team at Blue Cross were amazing, making us fully aware that Bobby had been through a lot and explaining it might take him a while to settle. He wasn’t confident with other dogs, we were told, because of the attack. But he loved cats. We showed them photographs of Socks on our phone.”

The Blue Cross team felt that Bobby should meet potential adopters a few times so he knew them well before being whisked off to his new life. So Rob and Karen visited a second time the following day. Afterwards, back home in Sheffield, Rob told Socks: ‘We might have found you a new friend.’

“Her head tilted and her ears twitched,” Rob says. “She understood!”

On the third day, Rob collected Bobby and drove him home.

“I’d bought a stairgate to keep Bobby and Socks physically apart while they grew used to each other’s presence,” Rob says. “But we brought Bobby into our house, on his lead, and he glimpsed Socks in the kitchen atop her pedestal – the cat tree. His tail started wagging immediately – he looked so happy. Likewise, Socks’ eyes grew wide at the sight of Bobby.

“Suddenly she hopped off her cat tree and towards him. ‘Uh-oh,” I thought – they were nose to nose. I held my breath – then Bobby licked Socks all over her face, just like Zigs had done. And that was it – love at first sight and an instant deep bond. We couldn’t believe it.

“‘Let them each have their space – it’s early days,’ Karen and I said. But they were insistent – they wanted to be together. There was an instant bond. It was beautiful to witness – life-affirming. And, as it was unopened, I got my money back on the stairgate from Sainsbury’s.”

The Blue Cross team had warned Rob that, with his anxieties, Bobby would likely take a while to settle in. But, with an instant soul mate in Socks, the little dog soon felt at home.

“I think Bobby understood quickly that he’s part of the family here and felt safe,” Rob says. “When he first arrived, Socks was very protective of him – she’d come on walks, marching along beside him like a bodyguard. I think she was worried he’d disappear like Ziggy. 

"Now she’s realised Bobby is a permanent fixture she’s let go of the reins a little, not coming on walks but waiting in the ginnel for our return and running down to meet us. All the neighbours think it’s very funny.

“She’s got her playful side back and her coat is shining again. And Bobby, underneath the anxiety, is a happy-go-lucky chirpy chappie. Bobby and Socks love playing together. When they wake Bobby washes Socks and then gives her a nudge until she washes him. 

"They’re partners in crime – if I go anywhere near their cupboard they’ll sit side by side, looking at me and begging. And, for naps, they snuggle into Bobby’s lovely big soft cushion bed together and snuggle.”

“Occasionally Socks has had enough – Bobby has got a lot of energy for a nine-year-old and could play all day – so she’ll give him a hard stare. He respects that. Socks definitely has the upper paw.”

“We thought we’d got so lucky adopting a dog with Zigs we could never repeat it but Bobby is amazing. There are similarities between them but differences too. Ziggy was super-loyal but, as a terrier, knew his own mind. He was smart and independent. 

"Bobby is more demonstrative – next level affectionate. He has these little rituals like jumping on top of my chest when I go to bed before he goes to sleep. I think they make him feel safe. And he’s very vocal – if he wants or needs something he’ll tell us. We’ve taken him camping in the Highlands at the same spot we used to go with Zigs – so quiet, no cars for miles. He loves the beach. But he does miss Socks.”

It’s a love story for the ages.

“This is what my job is all about,” Emily at Blue Cross Manchester says. “On paper Bob – a senior dog with severe anxieties – was a tough rehome. But Rob and Karen were brilliant with him from the get-go and their kindness and patience were just what he needed. Seeing him thrive and surpass all expectations is amazing. Thank you Socks for taking care of him!”