Kitten and Hedgehog Best Friends Are Here to Spread Smiles Across the Internet
Everyone might be stuck at home, but they can still travel the world by scrolling through @MrPokee on Instagram.
The adorable account is named for Litha's first hedgehog, Mr Pokee, who helped Litha through a hard time. After Mr. Pokee passed away, Litha missed having a hedgehog and sharing cute photos of the creatures that always made her smile.
Eventually, she got Herbee the hedgehog and then Audree the Bengal kitten a few months later. Now @MrPokee is filled with precious shots of hedgehogs and cats. While the two animals might seem like an odd couple, their owner, who lives in Wiesbaden, Germany, told PEOPLE the pair became friends the moment they met.
"Now they’re inseparable! Wherever Herbee goes, Audree goes. She lays down on spots where he was, they sometimes even snuggle and play together," Litha said, adding "Audree is allowed in Herbee’s cage and sleeps there sometimes or just watches him."
Mr.Pokee/Instagram
The 1.5-year-old hedgehog and year-old cat also cuddle together on the road. Before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the curious and adventurous animals, which are "the smallest cat and hedgehog" Litha has ever seen, traveled the world together. Some of their favorite tourist activities include going on hikes, visiting new places and checking out animal-friendly hotels.
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"He gets very excited and gets to run around and explore with Audree while I try to catch the best interactions between them," Litha said of Herbee. "It’s amazing to travel with pets, although I believe you need to prepare more and bring a lot of equipment."
Mr.Pokee/Instagram
For Litha, this means researching locations before visiting to make sure they are welcoming to and safe for pets. She also always packs for whatever the duo may need: a bag to be carried in, snacks for the road and extra layers to keep Herbee and Audree warm. Having extra food on-hand also makes posing for photos a tad more enticing.
In their short amount of time together, Herbee and Audree have strengthened their friendship while traveling through Paris, Italy, and Austria — and have kept things strong and snuggly at home with increased naptimes and movie marathons.
Mr.Pokee/Instagram
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"Of course we can’t travel but I think it also has a good side. It makes me appreciate going on adventures with them even more!" Litha said of the pets' current situation. "All of a sudden this situation takes us all back to our roots, we spend more time with my family and learn to actually appreciate the small things. Like a ladybug sitting on Audree’s head or Herbee smelling a little flower."
Mr.Pokee/Cfunk44/Instagram
It's these small moments that Litha enjoys capturing and sharing with others, so she can provide "a little bit of happiness" to Herbee and Audree's 1.8 million Instagram followers.
"I get a lot of feedback from our community that they appreciate our photos even more now. It’s just something small that makes them happy - and it makes me happy to read these messages," the owner said.
