Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα της φίλης μου και να τη χαϊδεύει απαλά.

Modern Greek does not normally use an infinitive the way English does.

So instead of wants to feed, Greek says θέλει να ταΐζει — literally something like she wants that she feed / be feeding, though you should think of it simply as the normal Greek pattern.

A very common structure is:

• θέλω να + verb
• μπορώ να + verb
• πρέπει να + verb

So in this sentence, θέλει να ταΐζει ... και να τη χαϊδεύει means she wants to feed ... and pet it.

This is about aspect, which is very important in Greek.

• να ταΐζει / να χαϊδεύει = imperfective aspect
• να ταΐσει / να χαϊδέψει = perfective aspect

Very roughly:

• imperfective focuses on the action as ongoing, repeated, habitual, or general
• perfective focuses on a single complete action

So:

• θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα can suggest she wants to be feeding the cat regularly, or in a general sense
• θέλει να ταΐσει τη γάτα would sound more like she wants to feed the cat once, as a completed act

English often does not make this distinction as clearly, so learners often wonder why Greek chooses one form over another.

They look the same, but they do different jobs.

1. τη γάτα
   Here τη is the feminine singular accusative article, meaning the.

2. να τη χαϊδεύει
   Here τη is a weak object pronoun, meaning her/it.

So:

• τη γάτα = the cat
• τη χαϊδεύει = she pets it / her

In this sentence, the pronoun τη refers back to τη γάτα.

Because γάτα is the direct object of the verb ταΐζει.

Greek changes the article depending on case:

• η γάτα = nominative, used for the subject
• τη γάτα = accusative, used for the direct object

Compare:

• Η γάτα τρώει. = The cat is eating.
  Here η γάτα is the subject.

• Ταΐζει τη γάτα. = She feeds the cat.
  Here τη γάτα is the object.

So in your sentence, τη γάτα is correct because the niece is acting on the cat.

Greek often shows possession with the genitive.

• η φίλη μου = my friend
• της φίλης μου = of my friend / my friend’s

So:

• τη γάτα της φίλης μου = my friend’s cat / the cat of my friend

This is a very common Greek pattern:

• το σπίτι του αδελφού μου = my brother’s house
• το βιβλίο της δασκάλας = the teacher’s book

In your sentence, της φίλης μου modifies γάτα, so it tells you whose cat it is.

It is the speaker’s friend’s cat.

The phrase breaks down like this:

• τη γάτα = the cat
• της φίλης μου = of my friend

So the whole group means:

• the cat belonging to my friend

It does not mean the niece’s cat.

If you wanted my little niece wants to feed her own cat, you would say something like:

• Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει να ταΐζει τη γάτα της.

Here της would refer to the niece.

Greek possessive weak pronouns like μου, σου, του, της often come after the noun phrase element they attach to.

So you get:

• η ανιψιά μου = my niece
• η μικρή μου ανιψιά = my little niece

This word order is very natural in Greek. The adjective μικρή comes before the noun, and μου is placed after that adjective and before the noun.

For an English speaker, it may feel unusual, but this is a normal Greek pattern.

Because it refers to two different nouns:

• Η μικρή μου ανιψιά = my little niece
• της φίλης μου = of my friend / my friend’s

So the speaker is saying:

• my niece
• my friend

The same word μου means my, but each time it belongs to a different noun phrase.

Απαλά is an adverb here. It describes how she pets the cat.

• χαϊδεύει απαλά = pets gently

It comes from the adjective απαλός / απαλή / απαλό, meaning soft / gentle.

In this sentence, you need the adverb, because it modifies the verb χαϊδεύει, not a noun.

So:

• απαλή γάτα = a gentle/soft cat → adjective
• τη χαϊδεύει απαλά = she pets it gently → adverb

In standard Greek, when two verbs are coordinated after θέλει, you normally repeat να:

• θέλει να ταΐζει ... και να τη χαϊδεύει

This is the normal and expected structure.

English says:

• she wants to feed and pet the cat

But Greek usually says:

• θέλει να ταΐζει ... και να τη χαϊδεύει

So yes, repeating να is natural here, and learners should generally copy this pattern.

Because Greek often leaves subject pronouns out when they are not needed.

The subject is already clear from:

• the noun phrase Η μικρή μου ανιψιά
• the verb forms in the sentence

Greek is a pro-drop language, which means subject pronouns are often omitted unless they are needed for emphasis or contrast.

So:

• Η μικρή μου ανιψιά θέλει... = perfectly normal
• Αυτή θέλει... would usually add emphasis, like she wants...

In this sentence, no extra pronoun is necessary.