Kneading/stuffed dog toy

My 4 yr old cat has a friend in a plush stuffed dog (about half the size of a mature cat). Since he was about 10 months old he has carried this dog around the house. Almost every night he carries this dog in his mouth up the stairs to our bed, and then back downstairs in the morning once we've risen. He frequently chatters away in cat language to this toy.
I adopted a second cat a few months after this dog relationship began, feeling that he was lonely for another cat companion. He and the other cat get along famously, however he still continues his relationship with the plush dog.
He also frequently kneads the back of the dog, while biting the dog's ear. It sort-of looks like he's mounting the dog, though I always thought that kneading was a comfort behaviour, not sexual.
He never kneads on me or my partner, only the dog. Though the younger cat does (who is indifferent to the dog).
Does anyone know what the cat/ stuffed dog relationship means?
My two male cats were fixed at 6 months and I adopted each at 9 weeks. They are indoor cats.

Pretty innocent. The dog is still his friend even though the new cat is in the house. It's good, too, that the second cat ignores the toy.
Just be sure that the dog stays in good repair! your cat has a psychological bond with it.

It is a mix of comfort and dominance. The dog is his comfort zone but by 'mounting' it he is showing it who is boss. Neutered cats often do this.

Yes, it would be a tragedy if the dog fell apart. I'd be forced to mend it, restuff it, etc. I even bought another one just in case, however he ignores the new one. I never wash it (and it's dirty as it's been dragged up and down my stairs and across my hardwood floors for 4 years). It's all pretty much like dealing with a child's security blanket.

Though I must admit, I get a good chuckle every night when I hear the bump-bump-bump of Fred and his dog coming up the stairs to bed.

Thats very interesting, you see that bond a lot with dogs and their toys but you don't see a lot with cats. I guess cause of their more independent nature.

Boy that was why I was totally floored when Brady took to "Tigger" the way he did!

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Now that's a cute pic!

that is the cutest story and cutest pic I have ever seen!

I think it is pretty innocent. I have seen my MIL's cat knead a blanket.

I had a cat when i was a child that adopted one of my stuffed animals, a small terrycloth rabbit. She would carry it around, bathe it, and sleep with it. We always suspected that she had kittens before she was surrendered to the humane society, and it seemed like she treated the rabbit as though it was a kitten.

Originally Posted by luxum

I had a cat when i was a child that adopted one of my stuffed animals, a small terrycloth rabbit. She would carry it around, bathe it, and sleep with it. We always suspected that she had kittens before she was surrendered to the humane society, and it seemed like she treated the rabbit as though it was a kitten.

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I would agree with the maternal instinct thought, however Fred is a boy!

He does watch out for his younger brother, Nermal, however. Maybe he's the stay-at-home-dad type!