This past Christmas, Polaris had her second Dog Adventure.

Visiting my Grandma, we took the two cats along. Yukon has visited before and is used to Grandma's teeny tiny black dog. Polaris was not. The little thing kept trying to start something by running up to her and yapping. She would air-swat in his direction, or fake towards him, and he would leap back, ki-yi-ing as though she hit him. DH Loen & I observed this several times, but she never actually hurt the little guy.

Christmas Morning and the entire family arrived, including my Mom and her poodle. I decided two dogs was just too much excitement, and shut the cats into our guest bedroom with all the comforts. However, Yukon knows both dogs and all the folks, so I let him out once in a while for brief excursions. Polaris was tremendously jealous, niffing Yukon all over when he returned to the bedroom, and then trying for the door. At last I gave in and allowed her a chance to check out the excitement.

Eventually she ended up behind the sofa, where she could hear & smell everything. The little black dog knew she was there, of course, and couldn't leave well enough alone. He darted to one end and tried to startle her out by yapping. Polaris emerged briefly to lunge at him, and he leaped back, yelping and crying. Polaris made a run for it and disappeared down the hall.

My Mom's poodle, meanwhile, was also hyper from the day's excitement. He could smell the new cat, too, and when the little dog started hollering, it was all just too much for him. The poodle lunged at the little dog (normally they are good buddies) and pinned him to the floor, growling and attacking him. The little dog fought back, and a royal dog fight began right under the Christmas tree.

Suddenly Polaris flashed back into the living room, jumped on the back of the poodle, and gave him the claws with both paws, slash - slash, pushed herself clear, and pelted back down the hall! Lightning strike! DH Loen & I both saw her do it, but *not one other peson did!!* Neither, BTW, did the poodle, who backed off the little black dog and peered around the living room in confusion. If Loen hadn't witnessed it too, I might have thought I imagined the whole thing, she was that fast!

Polaris swaggered back to the bedroom, her turkey well-earned.

Copyright © Krista Clement
May 28, 2000