The Chase

I've made a discovery! There are other much smaller things to chase besides bunnies. I readily admit they are still the most fun to chase but I've had to expand my horizons as of late since there are fewer bunnies around. I don't know where they've gone but I think they are finding better spots to hide (perhaps they would be better at playing "hide and seek" than I first thought).

There are still plenty of red squirrels around and sometimes I run after them but I'd much rather bark at them. It's their own fault really, they yell and shriek in that high pitched way whenever I come close. I think Jenny would agree that this gives me the right to bark back at them.

We only have three outdoor cats in our neighbourhood but Jenny won't let me chase any of them. It's so unfair!

There is an old, thin but tough cat that is missing a leg (my parents refer to him as the three legged cat) and personally I think they get overly excited when they see him. When they're busy petting him it's like I'm not even there!!

The other cat is very fat, old, white and orange. I don't know his name but if I was his parent I would call him "killer". As you might guess, I don't like him very much and if you saw how he behaved last week I don't think you would like him either. It was awful. I was out with Daddy and we were having a lovely afternoon walk when I spotted the baby bunny and the cat playing chase in the yard. I ran towards them hoping to join in when Daddy stopped me and said to wait. That is when I saw the cat bite into the bunny's neck. It let out a shriek then it was quiet. The cat killed it! He carried the bunny closer to the house and turned his back on us. I'm not sure whether the cat ate it or not but if it did it certainly didn't need to. In truth, the cat is already so big I'm surprised he successfully caught the rabbit. After that I was anxious to move on.

The remaining cat is black and white and since we don't know his name, my parents call him "Boots". His legs are black except for his feet which are very white so it looks like he is wearing boots. I've tried to chase after Boots but Jenny won't allow it. She tells me to be nice to all kitty cats.

To get around these restrictive conditions I have recently learned to get a thrill out of chasing fish flies, crickets, and grasshoppers. Chasing such small things requires a different technique than bunny or squirrel chasing. First, I have to walk very slowly and quietly in the grass. Then I have to smell the ground and route through the grass slowly and thoroughly. Then if I'm lucky a tiny thing will bounce up into the air and I'll have to react fast by chomping down or jumping on it. So far I haven't caught one but I'll keep trying!!

With love & cuddles,
Lottie



P.S. Lesson# 15 If you are adaptable you will always enjoy the thrill of the chase.