Studies have shown that cats who live close to their owners tend to imitate their lifestyle: they have similar habits and even often share eating and sleeping patterns. In a way, cat owners act as role models for their feline furbabies.

So far so good, but would you expect a cat to imitate its owner’s tooth-brushing habits? We know we wouldn’t. But Achilles the cat is here to prove us all wrong.

In fact, Achilles is Stephanie Isidro’s mini-me.

The two are very close and Achilles follows her everywhere. He has fully adapted to her lifestyle and even imitates many of her habits. For instance, he naps whenever Stephanie naps, and he does get into bed just like her.

“He acts like a mini me,” Isidro told The Dodo. “He will go to bed if I go to bed and nap when I nap. He even sleeps very similar to me — his tummy up and tucks himself under the covers.”

Apart from that, Achilles has also taken up a relatively strange hobby: he brushes his teeth every morning.

It all started when he was just a kitten. He would wake up with his mom at 5 a.m. and follow her in the bathroom where he watched her brush her teeth every morning. When she bought extra toothbrushes for her sisters and put them in the holder next to the sink, Achilles thought it would be a great idea to try brushing his teeth too. So, he grabbed one of the toothbrushes and tried to brush.

“I was doing my usual morning brushing and I noticed Achilles suddenly mimicking me with my sister’s toothbrush,” Isidro said. “At first, I thought ‘Gross!’ But then as he started doing this often, [I realized] it was genius.”

Little by little, Isidro realized that this habit was there to stay and Achilles needed his own toothbrush, so she got one for him and now he can practice his morning routine.

The woman explains that this is not something common among animals. She says she has had many pets in her life, but it’s the first time she has seen something like this. Achilles is pretty serious about his oral hygiene- if he is allowed in the bathroom at night, he will definitely brush his teeth then, too. That’s brilliant, isn’t it?

Achilles, diligent Tabby that he is, knows what he has to do to keep his mouth healthy. He is the perfect example to follow for all pets out there that would rather avoid such a task.

We know it can often be difficult for cat owners to brush their pets’ teeth. In that case, it might be helpful to give the cat a sample of toothpaste first, to get used to the taste. Remember to always find a comfortable spot for tooth-brushing, and use toothbrushes and toothpaste specifically designed for cats.

Though you may never reach Achilles’s level, you can certainly try.

You can watch the clip Stephanie recorded of Achilles brushing his teeth below. It’s just too adorable not to watch and, if your kitty is sporting some stinky breath, it might inspire them to take an interest in their oral hygiene as well.

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Source: Татьяна Бабичева, The Dodo, Banfield, Nature World News