Dogs on Thursday on Whiskers Wednesday (a little gross)

This post is not for the faint of stomach. It's a little gross, you have been warned.

There's a cat (or more than one) in our neighborhood who like to use our side yard as a litter box. It's gross, I know, but I'm so repulsed that I have to share it with someone to dissipate some of the trauma of this morning's escapade.

Lehu believes, as do I, that most of the stray cats in our neighborhood are related to Ruthie (pictured to the right). This is a "just got busted scratching the carpet" photo. We have some evidence of this, not the least bit scientific. Ruthie was a stray and she looks a lot like some of the neighborhood kitties. There was one mama cat who kept getting preggo over the years. I had a neighbor who used to capture the strays, get them spayed or neutered, then let them go again. The Mama eluded her efforts - for years. I haven't seen Mama for a couple of years, so I think she's gone to the great Kitty Heaven, where she can run free and not worry about anything. Rough life she must have had.

Anyway, I digress...

In comes Gracie, who has a nose for litter box type smells. Not because she thinks they are gross, mind you, more because she thinks of it as dessert. Goddess of all things right in the world help me! This would be mildly problematic, if only for the ick factor, if Gracie were a healthy dog without food intolerance and potential for horrible illness and skyrocketing vet bills. Since the latter is the way we have to roll, we have the side yard cordoned off - and we watch Gracie whenever she goes outside. This morning, I was sitting on the back porch and Gracie got through the little fence we had set up. I said "no" and she ignored me and kept going. Usually, she stops and comes back but since she'd gotten around the fence all bets were off.

I had a decision to make. I had bare feet, the grass was wet and the side yard is smashed down weeds and rocks (and cat poop).

Being the hyper vigilant, overprotective dog mom that I am...that decision was easy. I carefully but quickly traipsed through the cold, wet grass. Gracie was looking back at me and seemed to say, "why are you spoiling my fun?" This irritated me more. I hurried...my cold wet feet trying to get me to her fast without stepping on or in something that I would regret. As I caught up to her she was gingerly sniffing - you guessed it - and I grabbed her just before she went in for it.

I wanted to puke, but I couldn't. I had a mission.