I know there are cats in the neighborhood. I smell them all the time; around cars, in bushes, in alleys. I see them sometimes but they usually run away, and pretty fast. They slink low to the ground to make themselves smaller, but I still see them.
The other evening we were walking. It was very dark and the air was clean and cool, and we cut through the park. It’s not a big park, just a small one for little people. I like to go down the slide and ride the roundy round thing. The ground is covered in mulch and I can smell the animals that walk there. Dogs of course, and squirrels, possums, rats and oh, cats, most definitely cats. I was let off the leash to run and instantly picked up the scent of a cat. I think my Lady saw it because she started to yell just as I took off at top speed. The cat, a black and white local pet, shot along the fence line with me hot on her trail. When I reached the gate, guess what? It was open. I charged through the gate and out of sight of everyone.
Of course I could hear a lot of shouting. My Lady calling my name, Brett-man yelling my name, and Rachel calling my name. Everyone was saying “WATSON COME!! WATSON HEEL!!” I didn’t stop running. That cat was just right in front of me. How could I stop now?
I ran behind some houses and through a yard, and then found myself blocked by a wooden fence. Brett-man was coming; I could hear his boots stomping the ground and his voice shouting commands. The cat was gone…disappeared through a hole in the fence. No fun now, not with the possibility of capture gone. I wouldn’t have hurt her. I like cats; I have two of my own that I don’t see much anymore. It’s the chase that’s fun.
And here comes the Man, leash in hand. I trot over with head high; no shame in a good chase if I come back. There were no cars, nothing that could hurt me. I didn’t plan it that way, but it turned out okay. I didn’t get in trouble.
On Saturday night I was let out with Rachel. I love Rachel. She’s young and fun and plays with me. She’s bigger than my Lady, but I can still toss her around with a pull toy. She takes me out back in the parking lot and throws the ball for me. I got a couple of good throws in when I caught a scent. Yup, Black And White Cat was somewhere in the parking lot. I shot from one car to another, zipping at top speed with my nose to the ground. I’m no hound, but I can still follow a scent pretty good.
I saw Cat, and she jumped up on the white solid wall and disappeared. I jumped the wall too and chased her through the neighbor’s yard. Down towards the street she went, and then she was gone. I ran right up to an iron fence. Cat had slipped between the bars and went down between the cars.
Rachel is calling me, and then it was everyone again, all shouting for me to COME!!! Yeah yeah, Watson Come, I know. But the Cat, I could still see her. I went reluctantly back towards the voices, but then heard another one down by the street. I ran to the fence and there was Mike and Daisy. “Hello Watson”, he said, “I thought that was you.” The voices kept calling me so I went back towards the trees. Mike must have told them where I was, because here they come, all three of them, out of the driveway and down the street to where I was. They’re laughing with Mike and petting Daisy and thanking him for helping find me. I was led through the gate and back towards the house when I saw…The Cat. She was slinking along a car, and she looked back at me and laughed. I know she was laughing. Cats do that, but people can’t tell. Dogs can, because usually they are laughing at us.
Till we meet again, Cat
