Mako, a 2-year-old pit bull, would be scratching a post, kneading a cushion, or stalking a toy mouse if he could. He does not realize he is a dog. Rather, he considers himself to be more like a cat.
When the Castiller family adopted their Mako in 2018, they sensed that something was not quite right. According to Bethany Castiller, they began witnessing cat-like behavior within the first week of having him.
Castiller stated that at first, Mako was kept isolated from their two cats, Pecan and Gizmo. Things became strange as they gradually began introducing the animals. She would come into the kitchen for a bite only to find all the animals gathering on top of the counter. Mako, like the cats, liked to be on all the raised surfaces around the house.
Mako jumps up to join the cats on the cabinets or counters whenever he sees them. These are not just minor jumps either. Mako is known to hop onto the top of the refrigerator. People, according to Castiller, underestimate just how high dogs can jump. Like his cat brothers, Mako can easily hop up on the counter and then onto the fridge.
Mako’s cat activity, however, extends beyond jumping up on high places. Castiller said he is also obsessed with cat goodies, likes playing with feline toys, and mimics their other activities. He enjoys lying on the tables with the cats and watching the birds and deer out the window with them too. When he notices one of the cats lying on their backs for a tummy rub, he comes over and does the same.
Castiller said, like many other cats, Pecan and Gizmo tolerate Mako. And the dog obviously wants to be near them more than they want to be with him at times, she added.
Credit: Mako_TheCatDog via Instagram
