Puppy Love and Cat Punches.

I am the proud mom of a cat and dog who secretly want to cuddle and kill each other, all in one movement. This is my dog Swagger. He's half Shepherd, and half pitbull, but the second half doesn't matter.


Swagger

He has a wonky ear and two white hairs on his back that my roommate continuously tries to pull out. Sometimes he runs so quickly that his legs can't keep up and he ends up nose-diving, somersaulting through the dirt. This was witnessed by me just three weeks ago. His tumble was followed by a blood trail to the animal clinic where they tricked him with a cookie and pulled the remainder of his toe nail off. They wrapped his paw in a pink bandage with blue hearts on it. He's really suspicious of the vet now.

This is my cat Hooligan. She is the direct heir to the throne of England. If she could speak she would have an English accent. She's beautiful and she knows it. She's freakishly smart and sometimes I think she's judging me.

Hooligan

I got Hooligan about 2 years before Swagger arrived. Usually a cat will attack an unknown dog intruder or run for its life. Not Hooligan. The first time Swagger came home she just sat in the doorway looking at him, completely disgusted. No fight or flight...she was trying to stare him down.

After a couple of weeks of getting used to each other Hooligan started to take advantage of little 5 month old Swagger. For example, I put her cat food on a small table to make it impossible for him to reach. He was standing next to said table and when Hooligan finished her food she swiftly jumped off the table and used Swagger's back as a stepping stone to the floor. She just walked off with an air of disdain on her face. Swagger on the other hand looked like someone had slapped him. He had no clue what had happened, but you could tell he was horrified at the possibility that the cat may have used his back as makeshift launching pad.

Now that Swagger is bigger and a bit more brave, he actually tries to play with the cat. Sometimes she looks defeated and rolls on her back, and other times she'll let him have it. Just the other evening my roommate, Hooligan and I were all curled up on the couch watching Marley and Me when Swagger came over for some affection from the cat. He jammed his nose in her face and before we knew it she was hanging off of his cheek. She had Swagger in a death grip between her teeth and he didn't move an inch. He stared at us wide eyed and extremely concerned. More concerned than I have ever seen a dog look. Once she knew he got the point she released his face, turned her back to him and proceeded to have a bath. Swagger sauntered off to his crate and snuggled with his stuffed squirrel.

It's a love hate relationship. Swagger adores Hooligan and wants to play with her even if it means being cat-punched or having his cheeks bitten. Hooligan tolerates his presence and when she's feeling extra affectionate she'll walk by him and lean ever so slightly his way, brushing up against his leg. A little love nudge.

My cat may be a bit judgmental but ultimately she loves me. She has been by my side through tough times, curling up across my neck in the night and rattling my wind pipe with her purr. She let's me know that everything will be okay. Swagger brings love and structure into my life, pulling me out of my lazy sleep-in mornings and replacing them with a jaunt through the park, some ball throwing for good measure and a loyalty that I won't ever find elsewhere. What a pair. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.