Famous Shiba Inus and Cats – Meet Yu and Toro

Many have heard that Shiba Inus are cat-like because of their prim and proper fastidious nature. 

But do Shiba Inus and cats actually get along with each other?

Apparently, the photogenic Shiba Inu and cat wonder duo, Yu and Toro from Japan do.

One look at Yu, the Shiba Inu, and Toro, the cat, you can see a deep connection.

Basically, an ultimate example of canine and feline "bromance!" 

@ https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

And honestly, who wouldn’t want to spend all day gushing over how cute the photos on their Instagram account, @yuandtoro?

We were able to get in contact with the owner of Yu and Toro, and though she doesn’t speak much English, she kindly took the time to tell us more about her famous Shiba Inu and cat duo.

“[Yu and Toro] came on the same day. From that day, they became brothers [and] have never quarreled… Yu seems to think of himself as a cat.

He thinks that it is normal to spend time at the cat tower and high places like Toro. [And] Toro seems to think of himself as a dog. He imitates what Yu does and walks like a dog when they take walks."

Yu - The Shiba Inu (Male) - https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

According to their proud owner, Yu and Toro also love to coordinate their mischief around the house.

She gave us one example of how Toro will put his nails into the narrow gap between the sliding door and the wall to create a small opening.

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

However, since the door is heavy, Toro can’t open the door himself. So, that is when Yu comes along and wriggles his muzzle into the gap, widening the space and then opening the door.

“They always cooperate like this,” stated their owner.

She also says that it is interesting to note the personality differences of cat and dogs when they are kept in the same place.

Even when spoiling them, she has to take into consideration how the two are different.

Yu likes to push up against her, begging to be pampered.

Meanwhile, Toro likes to snuggle.

Toro - (Male) Cat -https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

For those who can also read Japanese or simply want to scroll through some pages with interesting pictures, Yu and Toro also have an official blog on the ever-popular Japanese site, Ameblo.

So of the captions are hilarious… and to top if off, they come in the Japanese style of doggolingo, using “wan” and “nyan.” Here is a translated excerpt from the article entitled, “月1の定期健診とお散歩” (The Monthly Health Examination and Walk):

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

“This week we went to the monthly health examination. It was also time for Yu’s yearly vaccine.

Toro: ‘I’m getting tired of waiting nyaa.’

Here’s Toro waiting to go out with his harness on.

Toro: ‘Ah, what a bad vibe...’

Of course, shortly after this, his nails were clipped.

And if you want to read some tweets from these cute brothers, they of course have Twitter and Facebook accounts.

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

If you find yourself wanting to learn more about their day to day activities, subscribe to their social media accounts. After all, who doesn’t want random videos are Yu and Toro appearing on their notification list?

Their antics and cuteness are enough to make any day seem brighter!

But, as we mentioned before, most of the cuteness overload happens on their popular Instagram account.

There, Yu and Toro are always donning costumes, such as witch hats for Halloween and traditional Japanese clothes, then hanging out with one another on the cat tree.

Happy Halloween from Yu and Toro! - https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

You can even watch encounters between the two brothers and their humans, which are about as d’awwwsome as you can get.

But the most popular scenes are when the two play fight.

Don’t worry--they aren’t hurting one another.

You can see that Yu and Toro are actually quite gentle when they play fight! After all, once they finish wrestling, they seem to cozy up to one another and give each other #grooming or a #kiss.

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

D'Awww Yu and Toro As Babies! -

Shiba Inu and Cats

You might be thinking to yourself, “As cute as this is, isn’t it kind of rare?”

The answer is both yes and no.

Typically, the dominant Shiba Inu is often considered very cat-like.

However, when dog meets cat, the usual thought is that the two won’t mix well. Obviously, when you have a scenario like Yu and Toro, where the two arrive together and had time to bond, any type of dog can get along with felines.

The key is socialization.

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

Of lesser importance is the personality of both animals.

An overly aggressive Shiba Inu might endanger the cat, and a kitty who is too shy, skittish, or domineering may disagree with your doge.

An overly submissive cat, for example, could trigger the Shiba Inu’s natural hunting instinct.

If you recall, in Japan, Shiba Inu were bred to hunt boar, birds, and other small game. Since this instinct remains undiluted, when Shiba Inu see parakeets, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and of course, your hyperactive kitten scampering about, they can quickly shift into predator mode.

But when you have a pairing like Yu and Toro, you can’t deny just how adorable the coupling is! They seem to be the perfect partners in crime, don’t they?

https://www.instagram.com/yuandtoro/

Admit it--every time you see the cuteness of a Shiba Inu playing around with a mischievous cat, don’t you just want to run out and scoop up the nearest kitten you can find?

Just remember, not all cats and dogs are going to have the same level of friendship as this dynamic duo. Since Yu and Toro have been together for a long while, it is only natural that they are going to have bonded as well as they have.

But we’re glad they did! Otherwise, we would have Yu and Toro, and the cuteness wouldn’t be off the charts.

Do you have any favorite Shiba Inu and Cat pairings out there?