From the Cat to the Dog

Why do we look at a terrible rain storm full of thunder and lightning, painful drops of water, and say, “It’s raining...,” well, you know what?

This is a very interesting story that has never been told.

It began a very long time ago when the world was still being formed and discovered by the life that was lucky to exist and explore. Animals were the first ones out there to find out about the planet and where they would be most comfortable. Fish, whales, crustaceans and the like were happy with the water and soon realized that was where they could stay; the birds took to the air, amazed at their ability to move through the air as high as they wished (not very high at first), and they were happy with their new found skills. And then there were all those other animals. They were forced to walk and envy the birds and the fish that quickly traveled and discovered what the world had to offer.

And they made their way upon the land.

The animals that started in the cold places stayed there. There was plenty to eat, if it was hunted (a good way to stay warm), and no one was fighting over space. In the hot places, animals got too comfortable and, once again, found plenty of food and space. It was in the areas where the temperature and climate were a perfect balance that the animals were truly curious.

This is where the dog and the cat begin their story.

At first, there were only the two and they got along very well. They had no choice because they encountered many places where their skills could help each other. The dog would fetch and sniff out food and places where they could rest for the day; the cat was good at climbing and entering places where they could get their bearings and a sense of which direction they should head off towards for the day. And this relationship worked out very well for a long time. Not a single harsh word was spoken (yes, they did communicate with their voices). They mapped out a lot of territory and enjoyed their time together. It was perfect.

What ruined it was the first human.

One day, the cat and the dog encountered their first human. This was not one of the primitive ape creatures that they had seen earlier (they were smart enough to stay away from them). This was a human covered with proper clothing, land that was tilled, and a proper home.

This was a real person.

The cat and the dog were impressed and approached the woman – yes, the first one to meet a cat and dog was female – who was carrying a jug of water on her back.

Now, the woman had seen many animals before – birds, fish, lizards, certain insects, etc. – but a cat and a dog were new. She showed no fear around them, which was a very good sign for both sides, and put the jug down on a table to look at them carefully.

The cat and the dog wondered if they should make the first move, but that was not a step they had to take.

The woman approached the cat.

“Ah, what a lovely animal! Not sure what to call you, but you are welcome.”

The dog noticed this, but was not jealous.

Not yet.

“Come, you should get some shelter.”

The woman picked up the cat, quite docile and willing to be carried – a new experience for it – and the dog began to worry about what would happen to it. It had to make a decision.

And, for the first time, it barked.

The dog had never barked before (it never needed to), and the woman seemed surprised, almost as if it had just appeared from the fields like an apparition. It put the cat down on the table and smiled.

“I’m sorry, little one. I can only take one of you. Your friend seems more appropriate for the home.”

A small flame of rage began to grow in the dog, but it had not been released until it had been referred to as the “little one”. It wanted to bark – if it could do it again – and it wanted to go back to the cat. It wanted to do something to get things back to normal.

It leapt to the cat, hoping that its old companion would want to return to their life on the road.

Unfortunately, it forgot about the jug.

In its leap, the dog made the woman fear for her safety, striking her hip on the table and dropping the jug right next to the cat.

The water that was once contained now covered the cat and made it look ill and thin.

And it howled.

The cat leapt.

*

The woman was soon joined by a neighbour passing by on the road who saw the two strange animals at each other’s throats and they could not understand the fight. The water flew off of both animals, filling the air with droplets as the barking and howling grew.

“Like a terrible storm…”

Her neighbour agreed.

“Like they just predicted it.”

The woman seemed confused by this until her neighbour pointed at the sky behind them both and saw the clouds come in and darken their piece of land.

“This should be quite a terrible one.”

“Not as bad as the one in front of us now.”

The neighbour and the woman laughed at the joke, knowing that they would both be sharing these jokes with their husbands when they returned from their hunts and journeys. By that time, the story of the cat and dog had spread in the community and many remarked on how it was an interesting omen to see them fight just as a storm hit (one of the worst the villagers had ever seen). And it was a nasty one. But the pair at war barely noticed this as they howled and barked at each other.

And what happened to the cat and the dog? The woman took in the cat, allowing it to nestle in her home and making sure it had its own space and a place to scratch and test its claws. It became quite useful catching mice and the occasional rat. The dog was allowed to stay, but spent most of its time in the outdoors with its own little home. Her man returned and found the dog useful with the hunts, allowing it to join them on his many journeys and searches for food and other lands. So, both animals found their own particular roles.

Over the years, other dogs and cats appeared; some would say the gods sent them to appease and show contrition over that first fight, but the expression never went away. And ever since, the rainiest and stormiest of days have been paired with the fight between the first of their kind.

*

Thank you for reading!

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You can find more poems, stories, and articles by Kendall Defoe on my Vocal profile. I complain, argue, provoke and create...just like everybody else.

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