Tiki and the Dogs

Tiki and the Dogs

 As many of my readers know, when Mike and I married he had pets. Two dogs and a cat to be specific, though one of the dogs actually belonged Mike's son. Roxy is a pit bull and the most loving, caring dog I’ve ever known since Max Lightening the Wonder Dog died several years ago.

The other dog in our house, a Blue Healer named Honeybee didn’t have much to do with me at first. Typically, Blue Healers are “one person” or “one family” dogs. Honeybee, or “Bee” as we often called her, eventually opened up a bit. I could pet her behind her ears without her fussing and she didn’t mind accepting a bite of food from my hand. I think she knew I loved Mike and he loved me, paving the way for a more positive relationship.

The cat? Tiki, named after a resort in Islamorada, remained a creature unto herself. Though Roxy longed to play with her, Tiki turned up her nose at the offer and ducked under the bed to avoid the awkward social situation of a dog and cat friendship.

When Bee started slowing down and showing sides of failing health, the cat was concerned. She watched from afar but it was Roxy who tried to offer comfort and support to the old gal. 

Roxy had been staying with us, but as I said, she is Shawn’s dog. With Bee not feeling well, Shawn came and took Roxy back home with him. This left Tiki to shoulder the pet watch by herself. 

Bee was growing weaker each day.  She managed to drink water but ate very little. Mike and I researched companies that would come to the house if we reached a point where euthanizing our sweet girl was best for her. 

Honeybee

The thought was painful, but so was watching her falter standing up or list to the left a bit as she walked. 

I was glad Roxy wasn’t here to witness it all. Tiki seemed indifferent to the changes.

Then one night, Honeybee woke up fidgeting. Squirming. Uncomfortable for a bit. Then she seemed to settle down and go back to sleep.

In the morning, Mike got up before I did. He leaned over and kissed me good morning and whispered in my ear, “Bee is gone.” 

I looked over to her bed where she looked to be resting peacefully. Expected? Yes. But hard. We buried her in the backyard, an azalea bush marking her grave. 

Roxy is still at her own house. I don’t know how she will respond when she discovers Honeybee is missing from ours. I imagine she will search the house over for her friend. 

But the cat? Tiki is the one who has surprised us. 

Tiki misses her dogs. She was okay for a while after Roxy left, but after Bee died, she became less aloof and more clingy. She wanders the house looking for her dogs. She climbs in our laps and looks up at us quizzically. “Where are my dogs?” You can see it in her eyes. 

We will “doggy sit Roxy” from time-to-time, but we don’t think we’ll get another puppy yet. We likely will find another canine member of the household in the future, but before that happens, we have a few things we’d like to do. 

Until then, we have a clingy cat to entertain and soothe in the aftermath of losing her dogs.

Roxy