Satchmo Puppy

I do believe that Satchmo knows his name now. It's either that or he just comes running across the breakfast room anytime he hears my voice. Either way, he's awfully cute as he runs with his ears flapping and his tail wagging and each of his legs seem to be a little out of sync so it looks like he's tap-dancing. Honestly, all he needs is a puppy-sized Mardi Gras parasol.

Satchmo and Savannah have become new buddies with each new day, with Savannah clearly taking charge of just how much puppy-play she will tolerate from the little guy. Satchmo is still very much a puppy at seven months old, playing and climbing and biting and trying to surround Savannah's back like she's the horse and he's the saddle. If I think they're playing too rough, I will call out Satchmo's name and both of them will look at me and stay perfectly still for about a minute or so, then it's usually Savannah who will nudge Satchmo with her nose, knocking him down onto her pillow-bed and then the gymnastics begin all over again.

And then there are mornings when both of them are sprawled out in the middle of the kitchen floor like bookends, in nearly the exact position except Satchmo's 10 pounds to Savannah's 70 pounds make quite a difference in those doggie-bookends. I have to laugh as I try and maneuver my way around two dogs now as I walk around the kitchen.

I went to the thrift store this morning, determined to find a soft tote bag for Satchmo. I know they have all sorts of dog carriers in the larger pet stores, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money on one of those without knowing if Satchmo would be comfortable sitting in one.  I found the perfect quilted tote with sturdy shoulder-straps and a soft interior. The colors are green and ivory with black trim, and the exterior pattern is jungle animals... lions and tigers and such. Satchmo fits in it nicely and seems to like it. He sat right down in it and I put it over my shoulder and walked all over the house with him as he peeked out at all the rooms he hasn't seen before. The tote has an outside pocket so I can tuck his leash in there along with some treats. I wonder if Satchmo realizes he's about to become a tote-bag puppy.

When I came back from town today, I saw a small black kitten by our barn. It's been quite a while since we've had a stray cat on our property, and I normally would have ignored this one, but it was so little, plus it's all black. I have a soft spot in my heart for all-black cats, which are very often the last-picks of a litter and sometimes no one chooses them at all and either brings them to a shelter or drops them off in the woods. I quickly put Mickey into the coop before I took some cat food and water over to the barn. The stray black was meowing when he saw me, and he walked slowly into the barn and peeked out as I set the food/water down for him. Before I took two steps away from the barn, he pounced on that food... scrawny little thing... I knew he was starving.  Our own Mickey is an all-black cat, and we also had two other all-blacks over the years (Shadow and ShadowBaby). As I said... I cannot resist an all-black cat.  I will keep feeding this one over at the barn, and hopefully he'll stay a barn cat and keep the field mice under control over there. I'm not sure if Mickey knows there's another cat on the property, but Mickey usually likes everyone (people/cats/dogs) so I'm hoping this little stray is a friendly one. I know that Mickey has been missing Gatsby since we had to put him down last Spring... I don't think Mickey likes being the only cat on the property and this new cat may end up being his buddy.

For right now, everyone on four furry feet seems to be quite happy.... Savannah has a puppy that she likes, Mickey has a potential playmate outside, and Sweet Pea is going from one dog-bed to another and claiming each as his own. "I am the cat, and that's that."