btw in the catboy au its considered normal for humans to pet cat/dogboys as a greeting or as praise and this was why sir john was so beloved by some of the younger boys bc he doled out pets pretty generously whereas fitzjames only pets his lieutenants and crozier pets no one unless he's forced to. dont worry tho touch-starved cat/dogboys (largely dogboys) can go to the doctors for pets and its equivalent to physiotherapy (which didn't really exist until late into the victorian era but ignore that) so here's my reviews of the medical staff based on their pet-prowess:

Goodsir - tender soft touch, favourite amongst the marines, very good at chin skritches and cheek rubs and knows exactly where to scratch behind the ears, sometimes will even hum to you if you're lucky or (gasp) call you a good boy

McDonald - firm fatherly touch, will say "there's a lad" if you purr or chuff at him, never pets you for as long as you want him to though because he's rather busy running the sick bay

Peddie - this is usually who you end up getting on terror, lil awkward since he's still learning the ropes but he's real earnest about it

Stanley - perfunctory, clinical, expedient, you will leave ruffled and feeling worse than when you came in

secret bonus contender:

Bridgens - seen petting peglar so often that soon other cat/dogboys started not-so-subtly asking him for pets too, big hands firm touch, will smile kindly at you and maybe even ask about your day, if you're lucky he'll use two hands to cup your face and for a moment all your troubles disappear, WARNING afterwards peglar will be colder towards you for a brief period of time