A Day in the Life

Today we will be following Cato, a young and curious Maligator, on a normal "day in the life".

Waking Up

It's 5AM. The sky is dark, the AC just shut off. I stretch and yawn, rubbing my side against the bars of my kennel to scratch that itch. Looking over at the bed I can tell that Mom is fast asleep. That won't do.

I paw at the door to my kennel. She doesn't flinch. I whine a little. She rolls over and buries her head under her pillow. It is time to get up.

I turn in a circle, making sure I bump into every side, door, and corner of the kennel and making as much noise as possible. I hear a groan from underneath the covers. A little more effort and I've got her.

All it takes is one bark. She shoots up in the bed and looks first at the door and then at me. "Cato? What is it? What Time is it?" She doesn't sound happy like she does when she comes home and I give her hugs and kisses. She doesn't like it when I bark. I think it startles her. But it's time to wake up. I whine again and paw the door of the kennel.

She's slumped back on the bed again but she groans and rolls out and onto the floor. She lets me out and I can't help myself. I jump up and give her a quick hug before I run in a few circles.

I'm just so excited. It's time to go OUTSIDE!!!!

But Mom takes her time in the mornings. She has to put things on her feet. I don't know what they are but I know they smell really interesting and Mom doesn't like it when I take them.

Then she puts on clothes that make her seem bigger than she is. That's smart. She isn't very scary and it helps her look tough when she's guarding my back while I take care of business.

I'm not what you would call patient though. I run in a few more circles, back and forth from the door to the water bowl, over the bed and back again.

FINALLY she grabs the leash and we can go OUTSIDE. She tells me to "Sit." My butt hits the ground...but it doesn't stay there. I can't seem to control it. She tells me "Sit" again. I try, I do. But now I have to pee. All that water and waking up has really gotten to me.

She sighs. That's her "I'm tired and it's early can you please sit" sigh. I lick her face and come to heel, letting her attach the leash and wrap it around my chest. I like it when she does it this way because I get excited and sometimes I pull on the leash. When she wraps it around my chest it doesn't hurt my neck. Mom always thinks about what's best for me, even when I can't sit still.

Now the leash is on and we're ready to go but Mom is trying to teach me to listen and be calm and be patient.

I'm ready to go now. She tells me to "Sit and wait." My nose is pressed tight to the door but I keep my butt on the ground like she says. I know this routine. So long as I can wait for her to open the door all the way and say "Okay Bub" then she'll let me walk and sniff whatever I want to.

Outside 5:30AM

Outside the birds have finally woken up and the neighborhood packs and strays are marking their territories and calling their greetings and warnings.

Mom doesn't say much except to keep me from straying too far out of our yard. We don't have a fence and I think she worries about the other packs getting too close. I'm not worried. I'll always protect her.

But right now what I want is to find a nice place to pee. I find a spot that looks right and let go. Mom gives me a nice scratch behind the ears and tells me I'm a "good boy".

There's just so much to smell out here. I'm easily distracted. I scent the marks left by strays and pets that visit our yard. I leave my mark on those that are unfamiliar to me. I circle Mom and make sure nothing's sneaking up on us. I stand for a moment and let her scratch my butt. Man I love when she does that. My tail wags and she laughs. I look up at her and see the smile on her face. She doesn't smile a lot but I really like it when she does.

We've been still too long. I lead her over to a new smell. This one's really interesting. Something different has been through here. I follow the scent as far as I can until Mom tugs on the leash and calls me back to her side. I really want to keep following the scent. But Mom doesn't want me to go near the other pack's fence. I sigh and follow her back to our yard.

Mom lets me wander around and smell the familiar smells, mark a few more spots, bark at a passing stray that gets too close. Well...she doesn't LET me. She Really doesn't like it when I bark. She tells me to "be nice" but it's my job to make sure she's safe. Doesn't she know that? It's my job to let the others know not to get too close.

When I've finished my business and smelled all the smells at least three times Mom asks if I'm ready for breakfast. The idea of food is always a welcome one so I head for the door. Mom tells me to "slow down" but I'm already there.

Again, this is a routine I am familiar with. Mom tells me to "sit and wait". She pets me and tells me what a good boy I am as she stealthily takes my leash off. Then she tells me to "get inside" as she opens the door.

... ... ...

One time I didn't go inside. Instead I ran around the building and went for a walk by myself. Mom yelled for me to come back. She sounded scared. But I was so...excited. There were SO many different smells on the other side of the building!

When she found me she wasn't happy and there was water on her face that tasted like salt. She smelled different than normal.

I got in trouble and she tried to be angry but I think she was more scared. When we got back to the house she made me go straight to bed for a little while. When she put down my bowl of food there wasn't any extra goodies in there like normal. No egg or the stuff that tastes warm but isn't. And she didn't get ready to leave right away. She just sat on the bed and watched me for a while.

I knew I was supposed to wait for her and walk beside her. I knew she didn't like it when I ran away. But I didn't know why she was scared. When I crawled in her lap there was more water on her face and she smelled...sad again. I don't like it when she smells like this.

I lick her face and get all the water off. Then I lick all of her that I can reach until she's laughing again. She wraps her arms around me and holds me tight. I don't usually like this. I don't let other people do this. But I let Mom. When she's done she scratches my ears and runs her hands down my back and sides. I give her more kisses so she won't stop.

Getting Ready 6AM

But Today I was good. She opens the door and I leap over the bed and into the food room to drink out of my water bowl.

I hear Mom laugh as she closes the door and follows me. Then she groans as she steps in a puddle of water, "Cato, keep it in the bowl!"

She says this a lot but I'm not sure what it means. I like when she talks to me though so I go stand by her and wait for her to pet me. She immediately does so, giving me a good scratch behind the ears.

"Time to get ready for the day, are you ready for breakfast?" My tail wags and I stand by the cupboard where she keeps my food. Mom retrieves my food bowl and starts to fill it. Sometimes she adds something extra yummy to it. Today I get an egg. I LOVE eggs. I forget myself and follow her into the kitchen and try to get a taste. As I stand up to reach the counter she whacks my nose and says "No, SIR." She calls me "Sir" when I forget my training. I sit and nose her elbow, saying sorry, making sure I'm forgiven and that I'll still get my egg.

She laughs and cracks it on the side of the bowl. I can hear the food mixing together as she swirls the egg around and walks toward my kennel. I follow her, nose in the air.

"Bed, Cato." I immediately go to bed and lay down. This is also a routine I know by heart. She pets me and kisses my head before she sets the bowl down and tells me to take it easy. Then she shuts the door and locks me in so she can go stand in the warm rain. She does this a lot. I HATE it. She tried to get me in there once but I'm no fool. Now I go to the kennel when she stands in the rain.

I hear the water turn on but I ignore it as I devour my food, hunting for the egg.

It doesn't take me long to finish it off and start to wonder what is taking Mom so long in the other room. I don't like when she's in the other room without me.

Why does she need to do anything without me? Just as I am about to get good and mopey she comes out smelling like a flower and her hair is all wet. I can't help pawing at my kennel door to remind her to let me out. She's never forgotten before, but I remind her anyway.

6:30AM

I lay at the end of the bed and pretend I don't smell the yummy food on Mom's plate. If I turn and watch her eat she'll make me go to the kennel. If I beg she'll swat my nose and tell me "no" so I don't. I just lie here and pretend that I don't want any...even though I really, really do.

I try not to sigh as she refuses to give me even the tiniest of crumbs off of her plate.

7AM

I follow Mom around the apartment for the rest of the morning, like I usually do. She gives me a spoon full of peanut butter in my toy. I'll chew on that a little later.

She puts some stuff in her small food box and puts it by the door. I wonder if she would be mad if I ate it? How would the box taste? I bet the sandwich would taste even better.

Before I can decide about the sandwich or the food box Mom comes back in the room with my leash.

7:30AM

Mom has a treat in her hand, I can smell it. But she doesn't give it to me. Why? Why isn't she giving it to me?

The leash is on and she's ready to go outside but I want the treat.

"Cato, sit." Sit = Treat so I sit. "Wait" Wait = Treat so I wait

She opens the door and I want to rush out but I also want the treat. I wait. "Okay Cato, let's go." Still no sign of the treat so I follow close on her heel.

We walk over to my favorite grassy spot and she pauses, waiting for me to take the lead. I lick the hand with the treat and she puts it behind her back as she laughs.

"Okay, Cato." She takes me through my training, keeping the commands fresh in both our minds. I'm not so good with the "stay" command.

But Mom took pity on me and gave me the treat anyway.

All Alone 7:45AM

When we get back in our house Mom tells me to go to bed. I do but I hate this part of the day.

This is when Mom leaves. She says she has to go to "work" whatever that is. It takes her away from me. If I'm not with her I can't protect her. I can't give her kisses when she gets sad. But she goes to "work" a lot.

I whine. I can't help it. I don't want her to go without me. I whine again.

"I'm sorry Baby Boy. I have to go to work. I'll be back soon!"

And then she's gone.

I bark. I know I'm not supposed to. But I don't want her to go. How can she leave me? What if something happens to her? What if she never comes back?

Mom?! Mom! Mom?

I hear the car drive away. I sigh and curl up in the kennel. She'll come back. I know she'll come back.

I shift around my kennel. I can't get comfortable. I worry about Mom. This goes on for a bit.

8AM-11AM

Eventually I nap.

I dream of running . Running wild in a field with Mom beside me.

11:30 AM

I hear a noise. It's the pack next door barking. I bark back.

I scratch an itch.

I yawn and stretch.

I play with my rope toy. I focus on this for a while. I know that if I just keep working on it I can unravel it and have it in teeny tiny shreds that will be soft to chew on.

2PM

I'm bored and I miss Mom.

Is she ever coming back? Did she leave me forever? I should go and find her.

I push on the door to the kennel. It's looser at the bottom. I push my nose against it and butt my head against it. It almost comes loose but not quite. With just a bit more effort...I...can just...POP. I'm Free!

I run to the window and look for Mom. She's not there but the neighbor dog is. Delta's okay I guess. He was a cute little pup for a while. Now that he's grown he thinks he's something. I'll show him something if he isn't careful with Mom. I watch him drag my friend Cara back into their house. Still nothing but a pup, no matter how big he thinks he is.

I'd like to go outside but I know Mom would be sad and scared if she came home and I wasn't here waiting for her.

So I go get a drink from the bowl instead.

That's refreshing and I spend a minute enjoying the feel of the water under my paws and on my chest too. Mom won't mind me getting nice and cool. She doesn't like to be hot either.

I think about my toy with the peanut butter in it. Where did Mom put that?

I put my nose in the air and sniff the counter tops. She put the spoon in the sink, just out of reach unless I climb up... That was easy enough. But no toy.

Maybe in the cold box? I sniff the door but all I smell is cold. Maybe if I opened it? I jump up and put two feet on the side of the door and push real hard, a couple of times and the door pops open.

There's lots of interesting things in here but none of them is my toy. I'll leave the cheese for Mom, it makes my belly hurt.

I keep sniffing, this time low to the ground. I hear some kids playing outside and my tail starts to wag. I love kids. I jump when I hear the door to the cold box shut behind me. I land in the trash can and paper and wrappers and all kinds of things go flying. I sniff through the mess for my peanut butter toy.

Eventually I give up the search.

I go back to Mom's bed and curl up on her pillow. It smells like her. I sniff all over, getting her scent deep in my nose until I sneeze. I lay there a minute but I'm restless.

Next to the bed is a table full of interesting things and funny smells. I find a small tube of something to chew on. Mom's mouth smells like this sometimes. I chew until it opens up and lick out what's inside until it's all gone. Next I find a bottle of the stuff Mom puts on her hands at night. It smells really good and it tastes funny-good. I chew on it too and eat some of it.

There are some little bottles that make a funny rattling noise, like a snake when I push them around. These are harder to open. I chew on them for a while and chase them around the room.

When I can't get them open I decide to take a nap on Mom's bed.

4PM

I want to watch out the window for Mom.

It isn't very comfortable there though. Maybe I should wait for her on the big bed? But then I can't see her coming...

I know!

That couch has some great pillows on it! I just have to get these stupid little ones out of the way and then I can sit on these great big ones!

It takes me a minute to get the biggest pillow off the couch and over to the window but when I do I know it was well worth the effort. The pillow is tall enough that even laying down I can lean my head against the window ledge and see out. I'll know the minute Mom comes home.

Maybe Mom will let me keep the pillow here?

Mom's Home 5:30PM

As soon as the key turns in the lock I spring up from where I've been napping. I put my nose to the door and inhale deeply. It's Mom!