"Leave Him Alone!"

How many times does a parent say those words?  Whether a parent to human kids or furry kids.

I said it again tonight.  The “him” is my 16 year old gray kitty, Smokey (he came with that name).  Cantankerous old brat.  Seriously.

The comment was directed to Schemie, my 14 year old black lab/shep mix (named by me after Bo Schembechler).  Spoiled, trained, but spoiled rotten.

I have been reciting this refrain for 12 years.  Ever since Schemie found Smokey squeaked like one of his toys every time he chased him.

Smokey came to me as an adorable little kitten (aren’t they all?).  He knew the love of his dog, Cyrus, and feline sisters, Sheba and Sasha.  Life was good, right?

Cyrus, unfortunately, passed away at the age of 13.  Enter Schemie a year later.

Smoke was fine with him.  Smoke was bigger than that little black dog.  No problems.  Happy mom.  It will be a good transition.

Wrong.  Eventually, both Sheba and Sasha left me, both at the age of 13 from kidney failure.

Just me and the boys.  Nice.  Schemie kept growing and Smokey was in no way bigger than that little thing Mom brought home.  And that’s when it started.  “Leave him alone”.  “Leave my cat alone”.  Schem would charge Smoke down hardwood floor hallways, not to catch him, just to make him squeal.  Never touched him, never hurt him.  It was just doggone fun to mess with him.  (I have older brothers, I see where this comes from except Schem is the younger.)

“Leave him alone!!”

Then I adopted Berry, my senior greyhound.  Smoke intimidated her horribly.  He’d park his tail in the hallway and she would not ever walk past him.  She knew.  Oh, don’t trust this one to not strike.  Then it was “leave her alone!”, now directed at the cat.

If you know me, then you know Berry, tragically, is gone now.

Just me and the boys, again.  I’ve decided I say that to say them multiple times a day.  After doing this for over a decade, I’m thinking it’s more of an amusement to them.  Well, certainly to the dog…  Not as quick as they used to be, but it is still the same.

After all these years, I don’t think I’d want a thing to change.  Now I think I say it just to say it.  If it hasn't made a difference in 12 years, it sure won't now...