Monday, August 06, 2007

The "Other" Nemesis Next Door

For those of you who are avid readers of my blog, you will all recall how last year the horrid neighbor to our right called Animal Control and then the Cops on me for allegedly barking in an incessant fashion. I don't want to dwell on it, but suffice to say that relations are now "cordial" - the parents greet him and vice versa (sometimes). I still scowl at him. I do not forgive him easily for the stress he put us through calling the authorities...

To make matters worse for me - said horrid neighbor has an equally HORRID cat. Now I would like to know why female dogs are called bitches, female humans are called bitches, but there are no such names for female cats? If ever there was a cat who earned the title BITCH, it is Blanche the Cat, spawn of horrid neighbor to our right.

From my earliest days here, Blanche has been nasty to me. She was the first cat I encountered. She would pretend to be friendly, drop to the ground near my feet, roll over in an overt expression of "come and play with me". Then the minute I got near, WHAM, she would jump up and swipe me with her fierce clawed feet and emit this horrible hissing sound! The first time it happened I was a wee pup and I nearly died of fright. Since then, I cross the street to avoid her on my walks and keep my distance. Isn't it funny how horrible neighbor would have horrible cat...
(Luckily Gracie's feline siblings and Pepper-Ricky's feline siblings, were kind and nice, so I don't have this horrid impression of all cats, just Blanche!)

So yesterday, the parents are I were hanging out outside. I had my leash on but I wasn't tethered to the railing as Mom and Dad were right next to me and I never run away anyway...I have matured. I was just minding my business on the sidewalk, when Blanche pounced on the end of my leash and commenced taking it in her paw like she was going to take me for a walk!! I shuddered at the thought!


I didn't know what to do! I looked pleadingly to the parents for help, but they were laughing! Loudly! So I faked bravado, and jumped towards her and (after checking for traffic) ran after her into the road!
And still she persisted in trying to grab my leash. Well, by this time, I was so mad, I growled at her and ran away! I will never understand that freaky feline - was she trying to be friendly or was she trying to ambush me, grab my leash and take me somewhere like the railway tracks down the road. I could totally see her tying me to the tracks. Maybe horrid neighbor has programmed her to commit nefarious deeds upon my "person".

What do you think? I'd especially like to hear from dogs who live with cats!

AGC