“Friendly” May Be A Bit Strong

Since Reyna’s surgery, I’ve been able to keep the door in the hallway open, with just the baby gate separating the four-legged species. Because of this, the cats have reached an uneasy truce with Duncan – they no longer panic and flee when Duncan gets up and walks toward them. Duncan has been meeting me at the gate each morning and he likes to watch the cats as the walk around behind me. Lately, Belle has been following me to the gate and watching Duncan. Over the last week or so, Belle and Duncan have been interacting just a bit through the gate, with Belle rubbing along the gate, and Duncan sniffing at her through the wires.

This morning, Belle was rubbing her face on the gate and Duncan had his head hanging over it (this is a first for him – he usually keeps his head on his side of the gate). Suddenly, the worst thing in the world happened. DUNCAN LICKED BELLE. ON THE HEAD. The look on Belle’s face as she jumped backwards was absolutely priceless. It was a combination of astonished and offended, because OH MY GOD! She was LICKED! By a DOG! A DOG! It was awful! And horrible! She was so startled by the whole thing that she couldn’t even hiss. And then she got over it, and came back to the gate so I could scratch her chin some more. But then, oh my goodness, but then it happened AGAIN. LICKED! On the HEAD! By a DOG! Belle was clearly shocked that Duncan would have the nerve to do such a thing a second time. That’s when I decided it was time to move Duncan into the living room. Because, really, Duncan likes the cats and seems to have a particular fondness for Belle, and I want him to keep that fondness - and his nose – intact. And I wasn’t sure Belle would be so surprised by a third lick that she wouldn’t try to physically express just how offended she was.