When couple Cheyenne and Isaac March decided to add a new pet into their home, never did they think that this simple decision was to end up not only making them famous but also their pets.
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Their cat, Baby and Charles, their bearded dragon lizard became the unlikeliest of friends and their bond ended up helping change the family’s life forever and proving to millions that true friendship can transcend even species.
Odd Pair
When the couple had decided to get a bearded dragon lizard, they never thought that friendship was even on the table -especially with their rather quiet white cat whom they had called Baby.
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Baby lived up to her named and was as most cats are spoiled. She liked her routines and didn’t stray too far from them. So, when Cheyenne and Isaac brought Charles, the lizard home. They were expecting some trouble.
The Start
Having a cat and a lizard in the same home isn’t really ideal and the couple knew it. They loved animals and always wanted to introduce a reptile into their home. The March family picked a Pogona, commonly known as bearded dragons.
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The smart lizard species are able to live completely solitary lives and are very low-maintenance. This was a big bonus point for the family, who didn’t know much about owning reptiles and wanted to take things easy.
Something New
As we have already mentioned, they already had Baby who had become a part of their family and needed a lot of attention. So, adding a bearded dragon into the mix was the couple’s way of enjoying having reptiles without having more responsibility.
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Or at least that is what they thought. The minute they picked their bearded dragon named Charles, they noticed that the lizard was very very friendly. Rather than shy away from them, it actively sought attention.
Prey
Even at the pet store, when the couple recounted how they already had a cat at home the attendants worried that for Baby, Charles was always going to be a prey and must be kept apart from the cat.
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It is a well-known fact that Felines especially enjoy hunting down smaller prey. This includes rodents and lizards. The couple themselves had bought Baby many toys which looked exactly like their new pet lizard!
Warnings
Despite all the warnings from the store attendant and reading many horror stories online, the couple knew that they couldn’t always live in fear of Baby harming Charles. They wanted both of them to feel included and wanted Charles to feel like it was his home as much as Baby did.
Image: Boredom Therapy
Cheyenne had found an obscure blog online in which another family detailed how they had acclimated their new lizard with other pets and hoped that it might be possible. But 99.9% of the time, she always found one horror story after another.
First Meeting
But the couple didn’t let these alarming statistics worry them. They knew Baby, who was a gentle cat and followed their own instincts in this situation and on February 19, after months of research, it was time to bring Charles home.
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The couple watched with bated breath as they released Charles inside his new home. They didn’t want to force their cat and new lizard to be best buddies but wanted them to be in each other’s presence from the start.
Baby’s Reaction
Immediately, they both noticed each other. Charles stood still as he was, in a new home with a cat for the first time ever. Baby, on the other hand, watched in wonder and the couple could see that she was trying to process the whole situation.
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They both stood around the two, waiting to pick up Baby, in case she pounced on this new member of their family rather than go for the kill. Their cat slowly walked up to Charles, more curious than anything else.
A Unique Response
Cheyenne immediately knew that the situation was under control when she saw Baby’s reaction. “I knew Baby would not hurt Charles when he went right up to her, sniffed and rubbed up against her,” Cheyenne told The Huffington Post.
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This first meeting was going better than anyone could have expected and Cheyenne and Isaac couldn’t even believe it. They had gone against every expert advice and trusted their instincts – and the rest was history, as they say.
Friendship
With each day, Charles and Baby slowly adjusted with each other more and more. To the point, that Charles event slept inside Baby’s bed! It was obvious to the couple that Baby wasn’t like any other cat and neither was Charles.
Image: Instagram/charles_the_dragon
Bearded Dragon Lizards are usually known to be independent but Charles loved the attention, only from Cheyenne and Isaac but especially from Baby. The lizard would climb all over the cat and even snuggle in her fur.
Cuddles Buddies
“One day I had Baby on my lap and Charles on my chest. Charles was looking to keep warm because she is a reptile, and crawled down to my lap to cuddle with Baby. Baby loved it and cuddled back even holding her and rubbing his face against hers,” Cheyenne said.
Image: Daily Mail
While the couple always knew that Baby would never hurt or hunt Charles, they never expected them to develop such a strong friendship. And felt like they had to document this whole process and share it online.
Always Together
The first picture they posted was of the two of them taking a nap together. It was meant for only their friends but soon, someone shared it on Twitter and instantly the post started getting retweeted thousands of times.
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Cat owners, reptile owners and anyone in between were shocked by a lizard and cat napping together. Many tried to message the couple, desperate to know how had they trained their cat to love the lizard while other strangers claimed that it was all fake.
Everyone’s Opinion
Bombarded with so many opinions, Cheyenne and Isaac had no idea what to do. Never in their wildest dreams could they have thought that a simple picture of Charles and Baby together was going to turn into this.
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They debated not replying to any of the people and never posting a picture of the duo again. The couple felt unprepared as they still were trying to figure out Baby and Charles themselves.
The Big Decision
But what pushed them to step away from this confusion were Charles and Baby themselves. As the world devoured that one picture of them, the couple saw how their relationship had cemented over the months.
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The two of them were inseparable and even had “activities” together. Whenever Baby bird watched next to the screen door, Charles made sure that he joined her. And this wasn’t the only occasion where the two of them openly displayed their need to be around each other.
Emotional Support
Seeing how devoted the two of them were, made it almost impossible for the couple to keep this unique bond hidden. They started openly talking more and more about their pets and how they had become so close.
Image: Daily Mail
Cheyenne thinks that a lot of this relationship can be credited to Baby, who always has been very gentle and has never been exposed properly to the “wild”. She doesn’t fully understand that Charles is “food” and thinks of him as a friend.
There For Each Other
The more the couple revealed about Charles and Baby, the most enamoured the world got with the duo. For instance, Isaac revealed that Baby is very scared of thunderstorms ever since she was a kitten.
Image: Daily Mail
And while the couple had tried their best to comfort her during a thunderstorm, it wasn’t until she had Charles in her life did she ever calm down properly. They explained that Baby usually runs to the lizard and asks for snuggles every time she hears thunder and of course, Charles is more than happy to help.
No Worries
The bond between the cat and lizard is so strong that the couple usually feels comfortable leaving them both alone for an extended period of time knowing that they will be safe and happy.
Image: Daily Mail
This is actually truly remarkable since most pets, even those of the same species usually end up fighting when left unattended. But somehow, in the March household, predator and prey have become best friends.
Siblings
Cheyenne and Isaac think of them are true siblings and while most pet owners like unnaturally create bonds between their pets, this situation was the other way around. It was Charles and Baby who dictated the relationship.
Image: Daily Mail
Isaac added that he hoped that seeing the two together would help stop some of the misconceptions around reptiles. They can be friendly, not only to humans but towards other pets as well and Charles is proof of that.
Sharing Meals
One of the first pictures, the couple posted of Baby and Charles on Instagram shows the duo eating their dinner side by side. Of course, Baby does end up gobbling his food quicker than Charles.
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And when she patiently waits for the lizard to finish his meal and once both of them are done, they simply go back to bird watching together or cuddling together. What a truly precious bond!
A Good Routine
In all of this, the couple is the most surprised about the strange turn of events. Cheyenne said: ‘I thought that could never be friends but remarkably they really seem to care for one another”
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She added ‘They go outside together for little strolls, watch birds together from the window, stare down our postman and then cuddle up to go for a nap – they’re absolutely adorable”
Bright Future
Again and Again, the March family get questions on tips and tricks on helping their pets bond well together and every time they have the same thing to say. They never “trained” Charles and Baby to love each other.
Image: trendzified.net
The two of them instantly clicked and as they spend more and more time together, their bond only got stronger! The only thing the couple did was share this relationship with the rest of the world and give hope to people that true friendship can overcome anything, even pure animal instincts.
