I was out on the deck today with my back to the yard. I heard the sound of an animal. I looked down, and there was a playful-looking medium-sized dog coming to say hello. She seemed quite excited. Between petting I was finally able to read one of her tags, which indicated her name was Clover. I wasn’t thinking about Tonka, our big, black, 14 and a half pound, dozen-year-old cat. Turns out he was snoozing in one of the chairs on the deck. Clover noticed him and went over to say hello. Tonka was not feeling hospitable. He growled and hissed and swatted at poor Clover. He chased her across the deck. Mrs. L.A. came out and Tonka ran into the house. The dopy pup (not long out of puppyhood, I think) went inside too. Tonka chased her out. Clover looked in the back door like, ‘Doncha wanna come play?’ Tonka, on the other side, hissed. Either someone called Clover, or else she decided to go on another adventure. She disappeared.
Tonka successfully defended his territory.
Come now, Johnny, you know the rules.
The only photo I have that’s not on Photobucket is this one (with the dear, departed Creamsicle).
How is Tonka doing with the loss of his/her loss?
So Tonka toyed with the pup?
I’ll get me hat…
He’s doing all right. He pretty much stays in the yard, which he’d started to do before Creamsicle got sick. But he seems to be sticking closer to home. He’s also started to lay on me when I’m lying on the couch. He’d just started to climb onto my lap before Creamsicle’s illness, but it’s only in the last couple/few weeks that he’s climbed up onto me. He’s never been a cuddly cat, but I think he’s adapting to his loss by getting closer.
Mrs. L.A. said that maybe around Christmas we’ll look for a friend for him. I like the idea of a companion for him, and also having another car around. I wonder though, if he will defend his territory against a companion. It took him a few weeks to get used to Creamsicle.
He’ll probably follow the same pattern he did with Creamsicle. It will take a little time, and then they will be buds.
Clover trucked right out of there…
