Have you ever met a cat who thinks it's a dog? One who has a few more canine traits than feline?The cat in The Summer of Jake, Rover, thinks she's a Jack Russell Terrier and I had a whole heap of fun writing her character. But she's not alone!
If you're not sure what I'm talking about, or you just want a chuckle, here's a little introduction to cats who think they're dogs for you:
Here's a little snippet of the moment when Jake first meets Rover at Annalise's apartment:
At that moment, Rover came bounding out from my bedroom, almost barreling over Jake as she jumped up on his leg. I think he faltered more from surprise than her cat-weight. I bent to pick her up, but she was scrabbling her paws to reach the new person.
Jake took a step back. “Is that cat on medication?”
Used to this kind of comment, I just smiled. “Rover thinks she’s a dog. A Jack Russell to be specific.”
“Ah.” Jake thought for a moment, then shrugged and reached forward to pat her. “Have you considered therapy?”
For a second, I wondered if he meant the cat or me, but then his eyes twinkled.
“No need. She’s perfectly happy as long as people treat her like a dog.” Rover turned and licked my cheek as if to reinforce my point. “She was dumped at four weeks old outside my grandmother’s house, and Nan took her in.”
“Let me guess, your grandmother had a Jack Russell who adopted the kitten?”
“Her dog Spot completely took over her care. And Nan didn’t like cats, so she treated Rover like a dog. Between the two of them, Rover didn’t stand a chance.” I snuggled my face into her black and white stripy neck, and she relaxed for a few seconds before trying to reach Jake again.
“So why’s she living with you?”
I put Rover down on the ground, and she sniffed the leg of Jake’s jeans. “When Nan died a year ago, Spot had already been gone a little while, so Rover came to live here. I’ll just give her some dog food, and we can start.”
Jake started nodding, then hesitated. “You feed her dog food? Isn’t that taking things a bit far?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s C-A-T food,” I spelled out. “We just can’t let Rover know that.”
Jake took a step back. “Is that cat on medication?”
Used to this kind of comment, I just smiled. “Rover thinks she’s a dog. A Jack Russell to be specific.”
“Ah.” Jake thought for a moment, then shrugged and reached forward to pat her. “Have you considered therapy?”For a second, I wondered if he meant the cat or me, but then his eyes twinkled.
“No need. She’s perfectly happy as long as people treat her like a dog.” Rover turned and licked my cheek as if to reinforce my point. “She was dumped at four weeks old outside my grandmother’s house, and Nan took her in.”
“Let me guess, your grandmother had a Jack Russell who adopted the kitten?”
“Her dog Spot completely took over her care. And Nan didn’t like cats, so she treated Rover like a dog. Between the two of them, Rover didn’t stand a chance.” I snuggled my face into her black and white stripy neck, and she relaxed for a few seconds before trying to reach Jake again.
“So why’s she living with you?”
I put Rover down on the ground, and she sniffed the leg of Jake’s jeans. “When Nan died a year ago, Spot had already been gone a little while, so Rover came to live here. I’ll just give her some dog food, and we can start.”
Jake started nodding, then hesitated. “You feed her dog food? Isn’t that taking things a bit far?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s C-A-T food,” I spelled out. “We just can’t let Rover know that.”
And because I can't resist, here's another cat who thinks she's a dog. :)
I love to hear about unusual animals - tell me the most unusual pet you've had or met. I'll give away a copy of The Summer of Jake to one commenter so they can meet Rover for themselves!
I've seen cobras and monkeys on television or the Internet, but never in person (and for that I am indeed grateful)! Oh! I saw someone walking a pig on a leash on the sidewalk in my hometown recently. I guess that's the most unusual (other than pet rocks in the seventies/eighties, LOL). Sorry I can't come up with something else. I must lead a sheltered life, LOL.
ReplyDeleteLaney, I've wanted a pet pig forever! I even have half a story written with pigs. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to convince Mr Bailey of the merits of a pet pig. Apparently I'd need little booties on their cloven hooves inside the house (we have polished wood floors), but I'm willing to do it!
DeleteThose videos are hilarious, Rachel. Love the sound of Rover!
ReplyDeleteWe are a very cute cavoodle, but she is a scaredy cat. One day she froze during a walk. We couldn't work out what was wrong. Turns out she was too scared to walk past a pine cone!
Jenn, I think I'd love your cavoodle, and I really must meet her one day. I promise to be less threatening than a pine cone when I do!
DeleteThe most unusual pet I've ever met was in Oklahoma in 2000. A pet Leopard. It belonged to a friend who we stayed with during our holiday. Very friendly. It gave us one hell of a start as we didn't know how big Cat's (yes, that was the name she went by - Catharine) 'big kitty' was. They had also raised the mother but she had passed on and was taxidermied and in a huge display case in the great room. This was also the holiday where I had the pic of me with the huge snake that was my profile pic for so many years. With regard to the cat/dog vid - the Moki Monster has most of those traits as well as 'talking' a lot too.
ReplyDeleteNatasha, a leopard? Wow. That's just amazing. And a little bit scary...
DeleteAlso, I meant to say, the Moki Monster must be very cool! Have you got a photo you can share? (Though, I don't know how to post a photo in these comments, so it would probably have to be on FB.)
DeleteThe very first cat who lived with us thought a bit like a dog. He loved to go for a walk with us and for car rides as well. He would follow us off leash as well. Once he came across a nest of garter snakes and stood in the midst of about 100 of them throwing them around. My husband waded in and picked him up and carried him down the path a bit. As soon as my husband put him back down off he went back to the snake pit. The second time round he went back on the leash.
ReplyDeleteHe loved to do cat things as well as he was a great leaper and climber. Top of the china cabinet - no problem. Half way up a tree on a very windy day - problem. My husband had to stand on a lawn chair and rescue him as he was hanging on for dear life.
We lived in a older house and our bedroom light was on a pull string above our bed. Quite often he would wake us in the middle of the night by leaping at the string and turning on the light.
Most unusual pet that I've taken care of was a snake. Can't remember what it was but I got to feed it mousesicles.
Kaelee, your cat sounds like such a character! I particularly like the trick of turning on the light in the middle of the night. I bet your cat was so very pleased with him/herself about that!
DeleteLove those videos! I haven't really had any unusual pets, but we did have Guinea Pigs growing up. They were very affectionate and learned the sound of the back door opening so they'd run to the edge of the cage and make their little 'weep weep' noises to greet us (and also in the hopes they were getting fed, gutsy little things).
ReplyDeleteStefanie, I've always wanted Guinea Pigs! Do you still have photos of them? How adorable that they would meet you at the back door. I'd totally be a sucker for that and give them treats every time. :)
DeleteRachel
ReplyDeleteI so loved Rover and I love animals in stories we have had a few pets over the years and at one time we had a dog named Prince and a cat named Tom and they always slept together and were inseperatable loved each other LOL
Have Fun
helen
Helen, that's such a sweet story! Prince and Tom sound like the best of friends. I just love it when animals have their own little relationships with each other, totally independent of the humans. :)
DeleteI got a good giggle at that cat playing "fetch", Rachel - and wasn't the facial expression just like a dog - the wide eyes and laughing, panting mouth! Priceless.
ReplyDeleteI met someone who had a child's python for a pet - it was fascinating to handle. The scales were so sleek and the feeling of the muscle rippling along the body as it moved was amazing.
Sharon, yes! The facial expressions were spot on. I'd bet money that cat was raised with a dog. :)
DeleteI've had a few close encounters with snakes since I moved in here, but they've all been kinda quick. I'd love to spend a bit more time when one to experience the feelings you've described!
Great post, Rachel. Loved those videos. Our last dog thought he was human and need some persuading at times that he wasn't.
ReplyDeleteLol, Sue! Actually, I've had a fair few dogs who've thought they were humans too. Or at least entitled to the privileges reserved for humans!
DeleteSounds like Summer of Jake will be a great book to read when I get to reading it. Currently in the middle of reading a series so it's waiting a little.
ReplyDeleteI think the craziest animal we had growing up was Doc. Doc ws a border collie that we adopted after his owner died. As border collies do, Doc liked to round things up - problem is he would try to round up the tree when we were in the tree house, and the car as it was moving when Mum would drive up or down the driveway. In the end he was given to a farming friend of our neighbour who said that he used Doc with the cattle. Doc had so much energy that apparently using him with sheep was problematic.
Lyn, Doc sounds like a fine specimen of Border Collie! We have one BC - Dougal - who likes to round things up as well, though I can't imagine him rounding up a tree. Sounds like Doc was much better off with the cows!
DeleteI'm reading The Summer of Jake right now and I love Rover. :-) I think a cat who thinks she's a dog is just about the best pet ever.
ReplyDeleteMy most unusual pet was a little Angora goat. Saxon was a real sweetheart. He wouldn't play fetch, but he did like a wrestle. :-) Thanks for the fun clips, Rach.
Michelle, you had an Angora goat? I'm incredibly jealous! Why did my parents never buy me a goat that I could wrestle with? I wonder if I could talk Mr Bailey into an Angora goat...
DeleteRachel, our neighbours' pony used to like a beer on a really hot day! Mine on the other hand used to have a thing about veges. He'd been owned by a greengrocer and loved pumpkin. He used to spit out the seeds and then we had pumpkins coming up everywhere!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I love that these horses had such individual quirks. And I especially love that your horse doubled as a Pumpkin Vine Dispersal Agent!
DeleteI already read & loved The Summer of Jake, so don't enter me to win! My son had a bearded dragon - a girl named Johnnie. I used to pick her up & hold her like a cat & pet her. She ate crickets and salad, and we had to give her a warm bath once a week.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you loved The Summer of Jake, Sharlene, and that you told me! :)
DeleteOh, Johnnie sounds adorable! Especially giving her a warm bath once a week.Too cute.