More randomness from the past in The Book Book

Notes from the Cadillac Ranch

Published April 17, 1990

Our dog has a problem.

I read once that dogs have lot of opportunities to be neurotic. Living closely with another species and not having much to say about what happens is probably pretty stressful.

Watever it was I read said a dog is always a guest. I't s never really his house. He doesn't get to decide when or what he eats, when or where he sleeps r takes care of his other needs.

Plus he is always trying to get along, to be pleasant, to be a good guest. And of course, he doesn't speak the language.

Our dog was about a year old when we got him, so it's hard to know about his formative months. Living with us hasn't exactly been a bow of cherries either.

Whatever the shortcomings on either human or canine side, we and the dog belong together. We know what to expect from one another.

Last fall without consulting the dog, a cat joined the household. At first the dog was insulted and irritated, and heaven forbid just a bit jealous.

Eventually he and the cat adjusted to one another, and even developed a sort of affectionate cat and dog relationship.

This winter the cat got pregnant accidentally. We hadn't planned to have a cat in the house raising a family. We were all adjusting as well as could be expected. The cat was getting wider and wider. The dog was his usual dignified, concerned self.

The Sunday before last we had a sudden, unexpected opportunity to send the cat to the dairy farm that our cats sometimes retire to.

My son and I were ecstatic. My husband wasn't home and we wondered if we should let the cat go without consulting him. We decided that a chance to give away a cat before she had kittens was just too good to pass up.

As it turned out, we were worried about the wrong person. The father unit didn't care that the cat was gone but the dog has been heartbroken.

He's been coming in the house, looking all over for the cat, and wanting in and out even more often than usual. He complains in his howly dog voice, why did you do that? If I were really giving the dog human thoughts, I'd say he wondered if we would do that to him next.

Being loyal and true, the dog has gradually transferred his affections to the white cat that lurks on the back porch. Now when he scratches on the door to come in, he wants the white cat to come in too.

Somehow that doesn't seem like progress to me.

P.S. The gray Muffin cat has five black and white kittens and is reported to be a real good mother.

That was the Husky when he was still an only dog before Stinky became his dog companion. Stinky was an accidental puppy at the same dairy farm Muffin went to. I see connections.