Cat Management

The cat from this post died a couple of years ago. After a while, the place seemed far too quiet with only the dogs (my husband, I suspect, feels differently about that.) By an odd coincidence, at about the same time, a friend was fostering kittens for the local shelter and had the cutest little ball of fur that needed a home. If you do the math there should be no real surprise that we have a new kitty.

Initially he was small and cute and helpless.. ish. Kody, our big, female German Shepard, took to Jasper right away. She loved him and washed him and played with him just like he was a puppy. Eighteen months later we have a twenty pound cat in the house who thinks he's a dog with super powers. After all, the other dogs can't jump or climb like that, and they don't have claws.

As is typical with young adult males of any species Jasper has lots of energy and likes to test how strong and fast and awesome he is. Generally, his antics are cute, impressive, funny or some combination thereof (again, Clint may feel differently). However, at 8 am on Sunday morning Jasper is a bit enthusiastic for us. Unfortunately, one of Jasper's powers is almost complete indifference to the whims of the people. The question now arises how one convinces a young cat.. sorry, dog (with super powers) to be quiet for a couple of extra hours.

Clint may have found an answer, albeit probably a temporary one. At one point this morning Clint lifted his head from his coffee long enough to mutter "I WILL throw you outside in the snow cat"

"Hmmm," I thought to myself, "it's only -10, true, it is snowing but he does keep trying to follow the dogs out."

I opened the back door and stood back as the true canines charged outside to play in the snow. Usually at this point Jasper makes a mock dash behind them (being very careful to call it off before he actually touches the snow), I close the door before Jasper "leaves" and he settles for making faces at the dogs from the window, after all they have to potty outside. Today I called his bluff. I held the door open;

Jasper looked up and blinked;

"well..." I said, looking down;

"ah, in that case, i suppose.." he said as he gingerly stepped out onto the step.

Instantly Kody was on him! Jasper got to participate, however unwillingly, in a half hour backyard romp.

When I opened the door to let the fuzzies back in Jasper was the first one in, I think he had actually been trying to phase through the door just before I relented.

Then everyone got treats and settled down on their respective beds for a little time out. Including one very disheveled kitty who had a quick wash and hasn't been seen since.

Ahhhh peace and quiet. Too bad it won't work in the summer when the challenge is to get the kitty to come in before bedtime.