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November 5, 2004
Kitty Cats and Puppy Dogs
Most of you know that we have managed to collect an assortment of lost dogs and stray cats - apparently our house has a sign visible only to furry creatures that says "all unloved critters welcome here".
Currently, I have a bit of an issue with our little dog, Houdini (yes, I know you are all surprised at this revelation). He has figured out that he can squeeze his little body through the cat door and run free throughout the house when I'm asleep, taking a bath or at work.
This is not a good thing.
Houdini is about 18 months old or so, and still chews things, and sometimes can't hold his bladder for as long as the bigger, older dogs. We want him to stay in that part of the house where there is tile covered with puppy training pads in case he can't make it until I wake up, get out of the bathtub or get home from work. But apparently, he has been squeezing his chubby little tummy thru the cat door.
So this morning, when I realized he was in the living room whilst I was in the bathtub, I decided to put the actual door on the cat door - it has extremely strong magnets on it, and only a kitty with a very strong magnet on his collar can open it.
Chasing down 7 cats to put collars on them was an interesting experience. RestStop is still not talking to me, he is pissed. But that is nothing compared to trying to teach all the cats how to go through the cat door now that it is closed.
I gently pushed Gandalf and RestStop and Cleo through the door, but they still don't get it and are all in the kitchen sitting outside the door waiting for me to open it so they can hang out with me here in the computer room. Annie, Little Girl and Meriwether have not come near me since I wrestled the collars on them, but they did watch the others, and show no interest whatsoever in getting to the other side of the door.
Only one of the kitties has figured out that she just has to butt her head on the door and it opens, and that is Barnacle, my constant companion kitty. Here is a picture of Barney - isn't she purty?
Anyway, they will have to learn, and if one kitty can manage to figure it out, I have to think the others will too.
Posted by Beth at November 5, 2004 8:40 PM
Comments
She's lovely.
Don't worry, they'll teach each other. But then again, the dog might figure out how to take advantage of the kitties. Good luck :)
Posted by: caltechgirl at November 5, 2004 9:42 PM
Whoa...and thought my home was chaotic with two cats and a dog.
(Of course, the cats hate each other; that doesn't help!)
Posted by: Key at November 6, 2004 12:04 PM
I'm waiting for the picture of Houdini pushing one of the cats through the door like one car following another through a gate... ;)
Posted by: pam at November 6, 2004 12:21 PM
Tortie's are scary smart. You might be expecting a lot from the ordinary cats.
(Mother of 6 spoiled rotten cats.)
Posted by: Princess Kimberley at November 7, 2004 5:39 PM
Princess, Barnacle is a smart little kitty, but since she is the only tortie we have, I was unaware of their reputation as being scary smart!
If I lived back in the days of the Salem witch burnings, I'd probably be burned at the stake because she would be described as my 'familiar' - she choose me as her special person, and is usually within 2 or 3 feet of me.
Posted by: Beth Donovan at November 7, 2004 7:41 PM
Hey, you have one of those invisable signs too? Kewl beans!!
We have a total of nine cats -- all strays -- one dog, a stray, and two parrots, one who was abandoned at a pet shop by his owner. all the animlas, except for the newest cat who wasn't socialized yet, went to UT with my parents lasr month. I miss my babies!
Posted by: Ith at November 9, 2004 8:25 PM