like cat and dog.....

it's impossible to work out the relationship between a cat and a dog, or at least the ones who reside with us! You think it's simple. Dog chases cat. Right? But what about the one everyone who has both will tell you - the cat rules the roost?

Gizzy once followed Murphy and Richard - in the pitch black and at a distance of 10 feet - right through the woods one night. Every time R stopped she stopped, so he couldn't hear her bell til they got moving again. He was quite unnerved. Right at the end of the walk Murphy chased her - so far into the woods I had to go up 3 hours later and call her til she came out. (the cheeky beggar came with me and every time I called sat and listened carefully for her with his head on one side, then looked at me as if to say "nope, I can't hear her, shall we move on a bit?" - like it was nothing to do with him!)

So out of doors he rules, then - but wait, that's not always true either. I've watched him rolling around on the lawn and Gizzy creep up, gather herself (the way cats do) and suddenly leap on him, front paws raised, land on him with both paws and then streak away, ears flattened - leaving him a bit dazed, looking round giving it "who? wha'?"

- or there's the times she waits behind gateposts for him on the return leg of his walk and then leaps out and smacks him one and runs away...

But other times he'll suddenly decide it's time to assert his man/doghood and will chase her over the garden, or under the car.

And if she comes screaming in the catflap with her tail all abush, he always gets up to stick his head out and see what's bothering her. If it's another cat he leaves them in no doubt as to whose garden this is! (the hedgehog episode is for another day)

- and she has been known to wash his face for him if he's daft enough (or brave enough) not to move it from her vicinity when she's in a good mood.

and sometimes they ignore each other and sometimes they compete for our attention - if one's getting it the other one pops up - "I'm here too!"

maybe they're just human after all...