The CATastrophe

I feel like some back story is due before going into one of my favorite memories with my dog. I didn't plan on getting him, and was actually taking my cousin to the ASPCA to help her pick out a dog. I had adopted two cats from the same shelter the year before. When we went there, we interacted with many dogs, one of which was "Biz." We went in the kennel with him and he immediately took to me. We took him out for a walk and played fetch. He was very well behaved and full of energy. When it was time to put him back into the kennel, I stayed in there for a while petting him. My cousin didn't find a dog that she was interested in taking so we left. I rode with her back to her house which was 30 minutes away. The whole time I couldn't stop thinking about Biz.

I had to work in just a couple of hours, but I really wanted to go back for him. I called my roommate and asked if he'd be okay with me getting a dog. He was good with the idea since he spent a lot time out of the state for work, and figured a dog would be great for protection. So I told my job that I would be late, and went back to test how Biz would react to cats. The shelter staff brought out a young cat for Biz to meet. He sniffed him, and the cat scratched his nose. He didn't react aggressively, and it looked like his feelings were more hurt than anything. Next thing I know, Biz and I are on our way home. My cats of course weren't excited because I had to keep them inside, and close the doggy door so that he could have the backyard to himself. Later that night, I came back after thinking of name changes at work, and named him Oreo. I spent the weekend getting him used to the house and the cats. I bought lots of toys and a big dog bed. However, he ended up deciding that my bed was big enough for both of us (well, the four of us). It didn't take long for him to feel like part of the family. My cat Duke loved him instantly, but Duchess took some time. She kept her distance for the most part, and Oreo did not bother her. It was perfect!

One day, Oreo and I are out on our usual walk. He was well trained so I always walked him off leash in our neighborhood. As we were walking, I noticed Oreo's ears kept perking up. He gave me a look before dashing off. I was confused because he never chased the rabbits or squirrels that we would often see on our walks. I ran after him unsure of what had his attention. I chased him two streets over yelling at him before he stops at a storm drain. I was out of breath and annoyed that there was nothing there. I started walking away and calling for him to follow. He wouldn't budge and kept trying to put his head in the storm drain, spiking my heart rate because I thought he was going to jump in. Then I heard the cries of kittens. I peeked inside and saw two kittens. I didn't see the mother and I waited around to see if I could spot her. After a while, I called a friend to help me get them out. My roommate and I ended up fostering them until we found a permanent home.

Oreo did most of the work and stepped up as papa cat cleaning and watching over them. The kittens were very comfortable spending a lot of time climbing, playing, and sleeping with him. It was nice because neither of my cats were interested in interacting with the kittens. Well one night, I'm watching tv and my roommate says, "Hey....is that normal? Is Oreo being rough with them?" I didn't bother looking over because he'd been so gentle the whole time. I just reply "Yeah, yeah he's fine," and continued focusing on the tv. Then my roommate says "No, look!" and I look over to see Oreo carrying one of the kittens in his mouth. The kitten's entire head was in his mouth! I panicked and stumbled over the coffee table, yelling "NO OREO! Drop it!" and he gently puts her back down. He then gives me a look with puppy dog eyes like, "Why are you freaking out?" The kitten was perfectly fine. My roommate and I had a good laugh after some googling and realizing that he wasn't trying to eat the kitten, but just moving her. I will never forget either of those days. Oreo is no longer with me and I miss him so much.

Below is a link to a short clip of Oreo with the kittens.

https://www.instagram.com/p/un7jrIACaT/