An adorable image of a family of pets awaiting dinner time has delighted the internet.
In a viral post on Reddit, the picture—featuring two cats and a dog—has gained over 100,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments.
Shared on Sunday by user 9999monkeys on the popular subreddit r/aww, the picture shows a door opened just a crack to show the three fluffy faces staring through. Shared with the caption: “The gang is eagerly awaiting dinnertime,” it has delighted Redditors.
“This is the best picture ever,” wrote one user, while another said: “Best photo I’ve seen all week!”
Other users agreed. One Redditor said: “Too cute! Such sweeties,” while another wrote: “The power trio.”
Other users joked that the picture reminded them of an iconic scene from 90s sitcom Friends: “F.R.I.E.N.D.S with pets,” said one user. While another wrote: “🎶Meow’ll be there for youuu🎶”
While dogs and cats aren’t always known for their close friendships—think of the term “fighting like cats and dogs”—relationships between two of our favorite animal companions are actually more harmonious than we might think.
In fact, most expert opinion suggests that with proper introductions and the right environment, the majority of cats and dogs can happily coexist.
A 2018 study by the Journal of Veterinary Behavior reported that the majority of pet owners surveyed believed that their cat and dog lived amicably, although very few respondents said they would describe their pet’s relationship as “close.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly to many who live in a multi-pet household, the study also reported that cats were more likely to be dominant and threaten dogs.
It also found that sharing of food, toys and beds was infrequent, and although cats and dogs would sometimes groom each other, this was also a rare occurrence.
Recent statistics from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) report revealed that approximately 25 percent of households in America own cats and around 38 percent own dogs.
Many Redditors were overjoyed with the cuteness of the viral image. One commenter wrote: “It looks like an image out of a children’s picture book. I love it.” Another said: “You have really cute pets.”
Other users joked about the reasons the animals were peeking around the door. One commenter said: “That or you went to the bathroom by yourself,” and another wrote: “POV: you’re trying to poop in peace.”
One Redditor suggested: “It looks like they’re posing for a great album cover.”
You can watch another cat’s hilarious response to dinner time in this viral clip, while this dog patiently waiting for his friend to come out and play delighted viewers on TikTok earlier in the month.
Newsweek has reached out to 9999monkeys for comment.
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