[Dailydrool] "Red Light Behaviors"

[Melynda Majors]

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"predatory drift" . . . everyone may get along beautifully, no problems, and one day the dogs chase down the cat and kill it . . . 

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Wow, that makes so much sense to me!  Lilly (and Becky, but mostly Lilly) LOVES the inside kitties.  She goes insane with joy anytime she sees the kitties (they mostly hide from her).  If I say, "LILLY, WHERE'S THE KITTY? WHERE'S THE KITTY?" she will about fall down trying to get over to the stairs and look for the kitty.  If she can get within arms reach she kisses them and slobbers all over them. (Yeah, they just looooooove that.)

BUT . . . if we are outside on our walkies, and Lilly (and Becky, but again mostly Lilly) sees an outdoor kitty like an alley cat, she tries to run it down.  She howls and froths at the mouth, and I'm quite sure if she caught one it would immediately be dispatched to the Rainbow Bridge.  (Good thing I'm strong and I won't let go of those leashes, no matter what.)  She has treed squirrels and kitties both and she turns into Cujo the Evil Monster!  (This is a 35-pound love bug wearing a pink harness and leash with sassy bling, by the by.)

I had been trying to explain to friends and family that, for Lilly, inside kitties = friends and outside kitties = food, but they have been telling me I'm ridiculous and Lilly can't make that kind of a higher-level thought-order distinction among cats.  But I'm quite sure she can.

Needless to say, the inside kitties have lots of places they can escape to that short little bassets can't reach . . . 

-Melynda, Becky & Lilly
Pawshington, DC (DogsnotCats)