So it’s puppy’s first night and still no sign of the boys (that’s Oliver and Fabian (yeah I know I didn’t name him) the ginger mafia). My main thought is how do you introduce your cats to a puppy. I guess introducing dogs to kittens is pretty easy as they either put up with the needle claws (blah) or eat them. The hall is strewn with puppy pads. Puppy pads are basically expensive squares of paper designed to splash the pee around so when you collect them you have pee squares on the carpet. They are pee stencils! They’re there for wherever the little fella may consider doing his ablutions although he has no concept of what they are. I hadn’t considered that large paper intrusions to their usually clear runway would be like a proper red rag to a bull. So the new edition has deemed it right to sit in the living room (maybe he was stuck in the rug) and marvel at the telly (Springwatch or Paul O’grady dogs or something).
His ears pricked up before mine did (I guess he wasn’t that concerned with what was on the telly) then he was bolt upright in a protect the home type stance. Then I heard it.
(At first a rustle).
I’m immune to cat noises, well I hear them but I’m used to them. There’s a bonus about the midnight biscuit crunching or the crazy 4am runaround. When some folk in a cat free home hear a creak or a crash at an unexpected time they think it’s a serial killer or that the plumbing is on the blink. Us cat (or unruly Jack Russel, Border Terrier or any dog with a chip on their shoulder) owners can ignore or sleep soundly through the madness in the knowledge that it’s just our furry guests doing what they do.
(Then a sound a bit like a rustle but something I wasn’t used too).
The kittens, as I like to call them (always your babies, eh?) had recently decided to become full grown cats. After many years of being cute and boisterous balls of loveliness they had took it upon themselves to become full blown hunters. The fact this change in personalities happened a week before the arrival of Lucian led me to believe that they had conspired. Maybe they’d overheard the discussions about the impending day that they’d have a new brother from a very different mother. The getting a dog discussion was all about compromise.. I said no and we compromised… and got a dog!
(That sound is far more than a rustle, me thinks).
Me and the poodle exchange glances (the first of many) what is this noise? I think I know, it’s new to me but I’m guessing it’s not my letter shredder going rogue.
Puppy let’s out his first bark (ok half squeak, half yap) and edges round the sofa to get a look down the hall at the offending noise. He is greeted with what looks like a ticker-tape parade of puppy pad papers floating around. I think it’s the kittens way of saying hello to their new partner in crime but there’s no sign of them amongst the mess.
(and then we hear a rustle).
