Kitten picked a sheep as his best friend, then started riding on his back

Some friendships take a while to develop, especially when the two animals involved have very different ideas about what makes a good day.

A kitten might spend the afternoon chasing toys around the house, while a sheep is more likely to be found wandering through the grass or following the family outside.

Toby somehow managed to combine the two lifestyles. After he arrived at his new home, the tiny kitten became fascinated by Mr. Rita, a sheep who was already a familiar part of the family.

It didn't take long before Toby was following him around, rubbing against his legs and finding increasingly creative ways to stay close to him.

Mr. Rita was never supposed to be a house sheep

The family hadn't planned on owning a sheep in the first place. They took Mr. Rita in after a neighbor passed away, even though they had never cared for a sheep before.

There was also a small surprise waiting for them a few months later.

When Mr. Rita went in for his first shearing at around six months old, they discovered that their "she" was actually a boy. By then, though, everyone was already used to calling him Mr. Rita, so the name stayed.

He also turned out to be far more involved in family life than anyone might have expected. He would join his owner on trail runs through the woods behind the house, following along as they made their way around the property.

Then Toby arrived. The kitten came from another neighbor, and he was tiny, fearless and apparently completely unimpressed by the fact that Mr. Rita was several times his size.

Toby didn't need much time to pick his friend

It took Toby roughly half an hour to get comfortable. He rubbed himself against Mr. Rita's legs, followed him around and kept coming back for more. Mr. Rita seemed to accept the attention, and the two quickly settled into a routine together.

Soon, Toby was waiting for his sheep friend to head outside. Mr. Rita would wait by the door for Toby, too.

The trail walks became their thing, and Toby eventually discovered an even better way to travel. Instead of walking the whole way himself, he would climb onto Mr. Rita's back and ride along.

It's hard to blame him. Why walk through the woods when your friend is basically a moving piece of furniture?

Toby would sit up there while Mr. Rita wandered along, sometimes using the sheep as a lookout and sometimes apparently deciding that the middle of a trail walk was a perfectly reasonable time for a nap.

Mr. Rita even keeps track of Toby

Their routine got to the point where Mr. Rita seemed to know where Toby was.

If the kitten wandered into the brush and the owner asked where he had gone, Mr. Rita would turn toward the direction Toby had disappeared in.

Whether he was deliberately "answering" the question in the way a human would is impossible to know, but he certainly seemed aware of where his little companion had gone.

And considering how often the two spent time together, that's hardly surprising.

Animals that share a home and a routine become familiar with each other's movements, sounds and habits. Mr. Rita knows Toby is usually nearby, while Toby has clearly decided that following a sheep through the woods is a perfectly normal part of his day.

A cat and livestock still need some common sense

Toby and Mr. Rita clearly get along, but their friendship shouldn't be taken as a reason to let unfamiliar cats and livestock loose together.

A kitten may be curious about a large animal, while the larger animal may react to sudden movement in ways the kitten doesn't expect. Livestock can also accidentally hurt a much smaller animal simply by stepping, kicking or bumping into it.

If you're introducing a cat to livestock, give both animals time to get used to each other's presence. Start with a secure barrier, keep the first interactions short and make sure the smaller animal has somewhere to retreat.

Pay attention to their behavior as well. A cat that is crouching, hiding, hissing or trying repeatedly to escape needs more distance. A sheep that becomes tense, repeatedly backs away, pins its ears or reacts aggressively should also be given space.

Even when two animals eventually become close, supervision is important, particularly when there is a large difference in size.

Conclusion

Toby found a friend who is warm, patient and apparently willing to provide free transportation through the woods.

Mr. Rita, for his part, seems quite happy to have a tiny companion following him around.

It's a pretty good arrangement, especially for Toby, who has somehow managed to turn a sheep into both his best friend and his personal taxi.