A Cat Being A Cat

MICAH:  We have a good laugh for you today.  Two Sunday Smiles, actually.

MERCI:  They aren't related but they go so well together, like two sides of a door.

RUSTY:  Heehee, Merci.  Two sides of a door. That's a good one because that's exactly what they are.

MARCUS:  Except these are "opposite" sides of two doors.  How can that be, you ask?

CYNDI:  When you have cats being cats, you have to expect the unexpected.  Did I say that correctly?

BUDDY:  Yes, Cyndi.  I have lived with you and other cats cats since I was 2 or 3 weeks old and I can speak from experience you will always do the unexpected!

PERCY:  These are both very short.  This is what happened after someone installed a cat door and the cat used it for the first time.  Here is Part 1.


If the video doesn't play, click here.

SAM:  And here is the view from the other side of the door.  Even though it isn't the same door, it's ... Well, it's Part 2 of a cat being a cat.


If the video doesn't play, click here. 

Jan:  Now that you've had a couple of laughs, I want to get serious.  If you own a dog, please LEASH him.  If you live in this area and you don't think the leash law pertains to you, you are a pompous moron. My dogs have been the objects of more attacks than I can count and I have had more injuries than I want to remember since I adopted Merci in 2003 and three dogs attacked her two months later.  A neighbor once gave me a golf club for protection from a very persistent and aggressive territorial doxie but the heft was wrong and wasn't any protection. 

Last night when Marcus and I topped the parking lot hill and headed for the sidewalk, three - not one but THREE!! - dogs came racing at us, barking and growling.  All I had for protection was an almost empty water pistol.  Marcus and I stood still until the first one, a doxie, crossed the street and came within a foot or so of us.  It turned back when I squirted it.  The two across the street stopped just long enough for the biggest dog (a hound mix about Marcus's size) to tear up some turf with his back paws to mark his territory (with the scent glands on his paws), and then all three came charging across the road.  If we had been on their side of the road, they would have torn into Marcus before that doxie had reached us the first time. And because of his breed, Marcus would have been blamed as the one who started it.  At the last moment,  the asinine S.O.B. who owns the dogs called them home.  I never saw him, only heard his voice, so I don't know if he was in the house while his dogs ran loose, or if he was sitting on his front porch watching and waited till I yelled at the dogs to go home.

The last time a dog came after us (2 or 3 weeks ago), Marcus nearly killed me yanking me around so hard trying to protect us that I was bent double with chest pain, struggling to breathe.  I had to resort to trying to kick Marcus's legs out from under him to get his attention.  Once I had his attention, he alternated between checking on me and looking back to check on the dog, and we somehow made it home with the other dog following most of the way, but with no further incident.  

Marcus, the dog who has been attacked without provocation so many times on our walks, was such a brave dog last night.  He stood quietly beside me.  He never so much as barked when those dogs came at us.  I was so proud of him!  Terrified but proud.

Carrying pepper spray doesn't work.  I learned the hard way it clogs and doesn't work when needed.  I read somewhere an air horn will scare off dogs, but someone gave me one and ... no way will I carry it!  I am, however, wondering how I can get my hands on the liquid from a jar of some VERY hot chili peppers to put in my water pistol.  

Anyone have any suggestions on how to protect myself and my dogs without having to carry around a sledge hammer?