Today Buffy and Melissa?s dog and cat amused us with their childish antics.  The preliminary bout started at about 4.30pm with the cat purposely getting the dog?s attention in the back yard by circling the dog in a provocative manner, the dog responded to the cat?s taunting with a swift bite to the back of the neck, then in a well executed defensive move the cat dropped to the ground and rolled over kicking the dog with its back feet while swinging wildly with its front paws missing the dogs face with each swing.  The dog soon had the advantage again by biting the cat until it meowed in pain which in turn got the attention of the referees who stood nearby talking.

The cat laughed when the dog was scorned for bullying, then using the ref?s apparent favor to get a cheap shot at the dog by pouncing on its tail and biting it.  It was a feeble bite and once again the larger opponent had the upper hand.  This time Melissa decided to take the cat and shut it in the house for its own safety.  The cat claimed that it didn?t need saving by meowing at the kitchen window looking to get back to the outdoor action where the dog was playing ball.  Buffy was the first to make the call to free the cat because it started climbing the fly wire screen.  Throughout the afternoon and evening the cat and dog challenged each other, the dog always looked to be victorious and sometimes it looked as if there might be permanent damage to the cat when the dog was seen to pick the cat up by the skin on its back and throw it around like a toy.  I was concerned when I saw the dog dragging the cat by its back leg but its now my conclusion that the cat likes to cop it rough from the dog.

As soon as the dog let go the cat would make little effort to escape rather opting for more provocative behavior by standing behind a chair leg just out of the dogs reach.  As the dog approached the cat swung trying to make the first contact, but as usual he totally missed the dog by miles.

Once everyone had moved inside the skirmishes continued but this time the cat started using its size to keep out of reach of the dog.  In the office is a carpet covered tube designed for cats to play, the dog can fit its head in the end and if it wedges itself in hard enough the dog can get its nose almost to the other end.  In the main event the cat caught the dog several times using the same technique; sitting in the tube and encouraging the dog to wedge itself in the tube while the cat retreated to the other end and beat the dog around the head without resistance.  The dog quickly pulled out of the tube realizing that the cat was no longer in the tube but on the other side of it, and that the dog was copping too much of a  beating because it couldn?t defend itself.  As the dog looked over the top of the tube the cat rushed the dog through the tube and attacked the dog?s chest.  The dog pulled away while the cat laid upside down in the pipe, the cat?s momentary pause gave the dog enough time to slip around and grab the cat by a hind leg and the cat gave a squeal as the dogs mouth snapped shut.

The dog lost interest after the cat ran into a partially opened wardrobe and walked out of the room.  After the cat had realized that the dog was no longer in the room it emerged to seek the attention of any person in the room and briefly laying on the armrest of the sofa before the dog returned to the room.  The dog couldn?t resist approaching the cat and in some sick fatal attraction the cat wanted the dog to approach so that the cat could use the armrest height to get some quality swipes at the dog.  As I sat on the sofa both the cat and the dog decided to continue their rumble on the seat next to me.  The dog pinned the cat down by laying on it and once again the cat was squealing because it was getting hurt.  I gave the cat some strategy tips while it was under the dog but it might not have heard me.  Just then Melissa told the dog to get off the cat.  Melissa decided that the dog might need to go to the toilet and called the dog outside but the cat reckoned it had to go wherever the dog went so it followed but Melissa disagreed and picked the cat up and brought it in for me to hold while she took the dog outside.  The cat had seemed content with my knee until Melissa had left the room again and then the cat made a break for the door.  Melissa immediately returned with cat in arms and dog following and asked Buffy to hold the cat while she took the dog outside, he was at the computer and focused on a game so he only had one arm free to hold the cat.  The cat did break free but it had given Melissa enough time to get the dog outside and shut the door.  All we could hear while Melissa and the dog was outside was the cat meowing at the door wanting out.

I am convinced that the cat has issues and definitely needs some sort psycho therapy possibly with the use of strong or even experimental drugs because the cat shut up as soon as the dog was back inside.