I’ll never forget the first day Murphy and Tabby met.
When I first brought her home it was early on a Friday evening. Both Murph and Mr. Meow crowded around the cardboard carrier I had her in while I went about preparing her room –-or bathroom, I should say. I thought the best place to keep her would be in the guest bath in case she wasn’t litter box trained.
I didn’t let them see her then. I thought it best not to overwhelm her right off the bat.
But the next morning Murph was insistent upon helping me check on her. In fact, he was desperate to see the creature I was keeping behind closed doors. So reluctantly I agreed he could…under one condition: he could only peek in at her for a second. She’d been through enough as it was and I didn’t know how she’d react to him. I didn’t want him freaking her out even more.
But to my surprise, instead of hissing or hunching her back like I feared she would, it was love at first site. For her. She ran to Murph and instantly nuzzled against him. His reaction? He stiffened up, then tried to back away, and I could tell he was thinking, “Eeew gross! Cat cooties!”
So I thought I had a dog-loving cat on my hands.
But I don’t.
When Tucker came to visit earlier this year to say she freaked out would be an understatement. She hid the entire night and didn’t reappear –not even to use her potty box— until he left the next morning.
When Murph’s friend Sophie (a Shepard/Huskie mix) stopped by one day Tabby wanted nothing to do with her either. Again she ran and hid.
She was curious about Bailey, but only because Bailey was even smaller than her. But she didn’t make friends like she had with Murph.
During this last week, as neighbors –including all Murph’s dog friends and people– have stopped by with gifts and holiday greetings, we’ve of course welcomed them inside. Lady, Simba, Otis…she’s run from them all. (Mr. Meow didn’t. He intimidated them all, or tried to. He actually likes dogs –especially provoking them!)
But not Tabby. She only likes one dog, Murphy, the love of her life. The rest are…well, just dogs.
Tab hanging out with her Murph