Sunday, October 18, 2015

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?

17 comments:

  1. I've seen the first door video, but not the second - that one was PERFECT! MOL

    The houses here in Los Angeles, where we live, are all fenced in as a rule, so there are rarely owned dogs running loose. My human doesn't understand why people in other parts of the country don't fence in their property, especially if they have dogs. I guess, it's just the way she grew up.

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  2. We allus love it when you cats meow! We're not so big on woofies...

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  3. Hari OM
    OMCat those vids were hilarious.... your predicament, however, is not. The spray water bottle is probably the best defence - but the addition of vinegar and/or grated citrus peel might add to effectiveness. Canines are averse to both odours and is the basis of most "off" products which can be purchased commercially. Whilst the angry desire to burn with chili is understandable, it could lead to aggravating dogs further and proving a greater risk to life and limb.

    Well done Marcus, for sticking beside Jan so calmly during that debacle... Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  4. Those were fun videos, especially the second one. I won't tell you what my Dad would carry, but they would only charge him once.

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  5. Those videos were adorable and the second one had us laughing very hard!
    MOL

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  6. Fun videos ! We're sorry you and Marcus have to face it : concatulations for keeping so quiet, Marcus ! We don't know dogs enough to know what to put in the water bottle, and we're sorry not to know any cure against morons (pompous or not). Purrs

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  7. Love the videos and I hope the dog walking will improve. Much as I love dogs, having one charge at you is extremely frightening. Purrs from Deb and the Zee/Zoey kitties.

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  9. BOL! Funny videos :-) you've been creative on what to bring. If you can avoid it ... I think its the best solution. Good Luck! Golden Woofs

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  10. Those videos are funny :) I am sorry you have to worry when you try to take a nice walk. It is a shame so many people are ignorant and let their dogs run free. I would report the ones you know of, but I have no ideas on how to get rid of other dogs chasing you.

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  11. Those are fun videos. I am sorry you are having such trouble with the dogs owned by morons. Do you have laws where dogs must be kept under control that you can use to report them?

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  12. Those videos are great. It looked like the one kitty opened the door by itself. Amazing.

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  13. We get so angwy when peeps ignore such a helpful law. It's of course da law here too and our pawrtments have leashes as a rule, but da manager here never follows it and tells everypawdy who moves in wiff dogs dat they don't have to eever. It makes us very angwy. Nopawdy be cleanin' up after their fwee roamin' beasts. Weez sowry y'all awe havin' such purroblems. However it is da law, so yous shuld get a prepaid cell at least so yous can call animal contwol when this happens. After all ifin these peeps ain't willin' tool obey da law, ifin they don;t pay to get da animals back they're purrobly better off. As fur da pepper juice, a can or jar of peppers will give yous dat jjuice. Da bwine is fully flavored wiff da hots fur yous water gun. And yous can buy da cheap bwand as it;s just as good as da spensive bwannd. Good Luck and weez glad Marcus was a good boy. Weez purroud of ya' too Marcus. Oh and a video camera might be nice too just ti purrove it not be Marcus stawrtin' it and dat da dogs was off leash unattended.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Lexi

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  14. hello funny farmers its dennis the vizsla dog hay that cat is brillyant!!! i need him to come heer and open owr refridgerator!!! yoo ar so rite abowt leeshes we hardly ever go for wawks in owr nayborhud ennymore becuz of all the nukkelheds wot think leesh laws dont pertayn to ded end streets i gess!!! sum of the dogs ar frendly but sum ar not and we wood rather just not risk it!!! ok bye

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  15. The videos sure made us smile! Kitties are so smart.

    Appawently kitties are smarter than some beans. We is so sorry to hear Jan and Marcus have been having such problems with dumb dog owners who let their woofies run wild. Mom bean says she's never owned a dog so isn't sure what to suggest. We all wish your safe walks.

    Sasha, Sami, & Saku

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  16. Those video were awesome! WE definitely laughed at the kitties' door-opening skills. :)

    That's scary about those unleashed dogs. People are so irresponsible!

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  17. What about a really loud whistle to startle them? Not sure, most of the pups here are either behind fences or on leashes. And the other ones seem not too aggressive.
    Or perhaps a bottle of pressurized air like a tiny fire extinguisher?
    You could hang a large sprayer trigger handled bottle from your waistpack/belt. Those can be configured to have a long stream.

    Sheesh, we sure hope this walking the gauntlet will stop. Its awful to be so anxious and fearful of what should be a pleasant time.

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