Ever since the heat wave struck my husband has been spending more time indoors than usual. Tim got down on the floor to play with Budward, something he tries to do every day because we’re painfully aware that our time together is limited and we must make the most of every moment we still have. Almost as soon as he’s settled in Jack realizes someone besides him is getting attention so he slithers in between Budward and Tim as if Tim won’t notice that suddenly there is a different dog under his hand. But almost immediately after that here comes Booger, the dog spirit that inhabits a cat body, sliding his tiny body in-between Jack and Tim, doing to Jack the very thing Jack was doing to Budward. Jack gets a little bent out of shape that Booger is usurping the place he just stole from Budward so I decided the best course of action is to let Jack outside to chase squirrels in the yard. As I’m closing the door behind Jackson I hear brrrump brrrump brrrump as the cat comes flying from the living room, around the door jamb into the office, going 90 mph while almost misjudging the storm door that is closing before his very eyes. Booger can’t stand the thought that Jack, his very best friend, is outside chasing squirrels without him. I’ve never seen anything like it before and wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t live it. I swear if we took Booger for a ride in the truck he would either be standing with his hind legs on the seat with his front paws on the dash while checking out the oncoming traffic or standing on the arm rest with his nose out the window. I know it sounds far fetched but so has everything else we’ve lived since Booger became part of the household. He likes to sit on the armrest of my recliner and pet the dogs as they come past. He never puts his claws out but sticks his paw out in time to make full body length contact as the dogs head into the living room to take their proper resting places on the various couches and chairs. According to a paper by Prof. Terkel, Tel Aviv University (2008, September 9 Dogs and Cats Can Live In Perfect Harmony In The Home, If Introduced The Right Way), in the first research ever done on this subject, when different species live together 25% of the homes reported indifference, 10% reported aggression and fighting while in the remaining homes the relationship consisted of a cat/dog detente. Prof. Terkel observed a surprising behavior. “We found that cats and dogs are learning how to talk each other’s language. It was a surprise that cats can learn to talk ‘Dog’ and vice versa. What’s especially interesting, Prof. Terkel remarks, is that both cats and dogs have appeared to evolve beyond their instincts.” Our home falls into the 65% where the animals have learned to live together in harmony and although this is something I never thought I would say now is the time to enjoy both cats and dogs in your menagerie, so go ahead and take the chance on being one of the 90% that live without aggression and fighting. You won’t be disappointed and you may find, as we have, that your life is enriched in ways you never imagined while enjoying laughter that takes your breath away while streaming tears down your face. You can find another species to begin your personal experiment in détente right now at the Randolph County Humane Society. Kittens are overabundant at this time of year so if your dog seems lonely because you’re too busy with work to spend much time at home this may be an answer to your prayers. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone and make that call to a shelter today. Who knows, maybe if enough take the leap people will also learn to get along and we may all learn to live in peace and harmony. Miracles can happen. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes, and so can you. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
Dogs and Cats and Perfect Harmony
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