Cats and Dogs

I guess it is a bit of a metamorphous for me.  I love cats and dogs.  I would say I am more a dog person but I have had both.
I was very sad at Sammy the dog’s demise.  Though I do wonder how he had survived.  It was in the days before dogs were kept inside the yard or on a lead.  He used to take himself off for a swim in the ocean.
We had a cat in Townsville and I do not remember its name.  I do remember it being on top of mum’s car and she did not realize it.  She thought everyone was being really friendly when they waved to her.  She realized what was going on when she saw a streak in her peripheral vision going down from the car roof.
Down here I had a cat called Sophie.  I loved that cat.  When it first came down from Townsville I thought it had disappeared.  I spent ages searching and found it behind a curtain checking the joint out.  I think Sophie died from sake bite.  We took her to the vet who asked if I wanted to give it another shot of anti-venom.  The first had cost $700.  I thought these things bring down cows so what chance has a cat got.
Still, it lasted heaps longer than a kitten I had in Townsville.  It wandered out onto our veranda and that was the last I saw of it.  I think a hawk must have got it.
One of the first dogs we had was called poochy.  We loved him.  I was on my three wheeler when some cars raced past our place.  Poochy thought I was in danger.  He raced out in front of a car.  I saw him roll under the car.  He raced up to the family and went around to each person as if to say goodbye and then laid down and died.
A postscript to that was this year Merril and I went to a council run forum and one of the stories to be read was about a family that had a dog called poochy that was run over by a car.  I read that story.  I told them why.  The guy running the course said he had never had that.
We look after dogs and are keeping an eye on the one next door while the owner is away.  It is getting really old.  I stood at the fence talking to her.  She barked at me while looking in the wrong direction.
The nicest interaction I have had with a dog was in a gathering and someone had an assistance dog.  I thought “that dog needs a drink of water.”  I got it one and she came over to me for a pat.  The owner said “that dog said thank you to you.”
I have good memories of cats and dogs but do not like cats hunting abilities destroying our native wild-life.