Labrador Retriever Refuses to Eat Without 'Emotional Support Cat' by Her Side

All dogs have their own quirks and habits, and since eating is a big part of their routine (and one that many of them happily look forward to every day), it's no surprise that many of those quirks revolve around food. It's hard to blame them for getting excited about eating, really; it's usually the highlight of my day, too! But then, there are the dogs who aren't quite as interested, and sometimes, it can be a matter of making sure the room is the exact right temperature and their bowl is placed exactly 90 degrees from the wall to make sure they actually ingest their dinner.

And like the Labrador Retriever in this TikTok video, sometimes that requires a little extra help from a friend — in this case, a cat BFF who is willing to step in to offer a little moral support.

On Sunday, October 13, pet mom @kesi_li shared this video to show the way her Labrador Retriever eats her meals: with her Maine Coon pal by her side.

Here, we can see the pup eating her food directly off of the floor (and astonishingly, the cat isn't even attempting to steal it, which would not be the way a situation like this played out in my house).

"Our dog refused to eat out of her bowl and would only eat if the cat was sitting right next to her. The cat is now her emotional support animal," Mom wrote.

Hey, whatever works works — we've gotta get these kids to eat somehow!

In the comments, people chimed in with stories of their own dogs' fun quirks around eating. For example: "My dog will only eat if we sing her a breakfast song and watch her eat while I drink my coffee." Okay, that's too cute!

Some Dogs Like to Eat With Company

If your dog also requires an audience at meal times, rest assured that this can be totally normal behavior — and it's also more common than you think.

As The Dodo notes, sometimes, it can be a sign of separation anxiety, but otherwise, it's just because you have a social dog .

“Dogs find that meals are more fun with others,” dog trainer Shelby Semel told the site. “By nature, dogs are social creatures and the company can motivate them to eat.”

An easy way to help your dog feel included is by feeding them when the humans in the household sit down for a meal. That way, everyone can eat dinner together in the same room. After all, can you really call it a family dinner if the dog members of the family aren't included in it?

Besides, eating alone can be boring for humans, too, so I can understand this preference. What could it hurt to offer your pup a little company?