Exploring The Hypocrisy In Living With Dogs & Cat & Other Things You Think About When It's Stifling Hot Outside

 My husband would say my animals are the center of my life... (He's probably right to a large extent). In the past I strived to maintain a menagerie of reptiles, rodents, birds, fish,canines, felines and an equine to name most. But as I got older the upkeep became all consuming & I eventually cut back to dogs and Cat. 

I've always prided myself on being a level closer to my animals than most. Closer to the predators than the prey for sure. Never really clicked on the level I dreamed of with even my favorite Honey horse. Perhaps she knew she had a wolf on her back... 

 But seeing the wild ones, I get that. I feel that. The thrill when you connect with the eye of a mustang. Their beautiful wildness, a presence of its own.

But dogs...we know each other. I understand the pack mentality. I've got myself out of quite a few situations with strange dogs where I probably should have been bit. I walked into a yard once with a big male German Shepherd. His eyes said all was fine, come on it. He pranced and danced around me leading me up to the front door of the home. To my delight I spied GSD puppies pouring out of the garage, their little stumpy legs pumping hard to be the first one to greet me.Then came the jolt of something's not right...The bitch came around the garage door snarling and baring an impressive set of teeth. I froze... Then I felt the male dog behind me. He looked at me as if to say he had it all under control. He got between me and the angry mom and took my hand in his mouth and led me back out to the gate. I slipped though unharmed and thanked him. Truly an experience I will never forget. 

I wouldn't say I have the exact same connection with the spirit of Cat.  For the most part, cats aren't pack animals. The African Lion is the only big cat that lives as a functioning group. Felis domesticus hang out together, but they hunt independently.  I've ever only had one Cat at a time and it's always felt right. Cat is the icing on the pack-of-dogs cake. And Cat is always treated differently, much to the the dogs disdain.

Cat is allowed on furniture, dogs are not. Cat gets to relieve  himself in the house, dogs do not. Cat gets to come into the bathroom with me, dogs do not. (That one leaves hubby scratching his head). Cat is loved even when he is biting and clawing, dogs are not. Cat gets to approve when he is brushed and groomed, dogs do not. You see where I'm going with this. The only perk the dogs have that Cat does not, is outside privileges. I can contain the dogs, I can't contain Cat. I have a lot of guilt over that, but Cat seems to be pretty well used to it by now. He enjoys the large window sills when we can open up the house. The patio provides hours of entertainment apparently.

I've always wondered why it is the way it is. But then it seems to just be a part of the natural order and the difference between dogs and Cat. Dogs really have to mind their manners and listen to the Alphas, whereas Cat abides.