A woman has revealed how one of her cats has developed a unique attachment to a cuddly hand puppet.

Tattie and Neeps have been part of owner Beth's life since 2022.

"My boyfriend surprised me with a cat collar for Christmas two years ago with the name Tattie on it," Beth, who lives in London, told Newsweek. "We'd spoken about getting a cat for years, so I was so happy."

She was doubly surprised when it came time to choose a cat to take home. "When we looked at the litter, the breeder told us one of the kittens hadn't found a home and that he was best friends with Tattie, so we decided to get two and call the other Neeps," Beth said.

Though cats are often seen as solitary pets that prefer their own company, some are capable of forming strong bonds with their fellow felines. A 2022 study published in the journal Nature found that cats that live with other felines often become so close they can identify and learn each other's names.

Researchers at Japan's Kyoto University conducted a study involving 48 cats that cohabited with at least two other pets, either at home or in a cat café.

Each of the cats was shown a picture of the animals it lived with. At the same time, scientists monitored their response when the name of the cat or an unrelated name was said out loud.

They found that if the cat stared at a photo for an extended period, this showed that they knew the name of the animal pictured.

Tattie and Neeps formed this bond from an early age, and it's continued since Beth took them home.

Tattie has always looked after Neeps. "They're both extremely hyper, they love to run and chase springs, they'll play fetch, and I even taught them to sit," Beth said. "They love each other so much, but they do play-fight all the time but then look after each other too."

They nearly missed out on having this precious time together. "Neeps when he was a baby was found to have a severe heart condition, and he almost died," Beth said. "He was the first cat in the world on record to have this condition and have the operation that he did, so he's a bit of a miracle. They didn't give us good odds, but he made it through, and it's almost been a year since."

Neeps' illness had a significant impact on everyone, not least Tattie. She was by Neeps' side throughout everything that unfolded. "Tattie has always looked after Neeps when he's been in a bad way," Beth said.

Maybe that's why Tattie got her very own "pet cat" of sorts to look after. "It's a hand puppet, and she loves carrying it around with her," Beth said.

Tattie's newfound attachment to the toy has definitely given Beth food for thought about getting a kitten for her to look after. But right now she's just happy with her two feline friends.

"They have really big personalities, and they're very chatty and super playful," she said.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.