Naughty Tic Tac has been teasing the dog next door. Photos: Ellen Whyte
Tic Tac is fascinated by the garden. When the sun rises, she rushes to the front room window, keeping an eye on the dogs out for their early morning walk. She sits high up on her cat tree there, secure in the knowledge that she can see them, but they don’t spot her.
After breakfast, she is glued to the garden window. We know when the birds arrive to eat their breakfast from her excited ekekekekekek.
When I go to work, Tic Tac climbs the office cat tree and sits on the window sill, meowing insults at the seagull that perches on the roof opposite, and keeping a keen eye out for feathered visitors below in the garden.
As it is freezing in Britain and we are used to tropical Malaysia, our windows are shut firmly. So when the sun appeared a few weeks ago, we fell for it and planned for summer.
Our first move was to arrange childproof slider locks for the windows so that our furries could get some fresh air without tumbling out.
Target doesn’t climb cat trees – our old boy is too senior for that – so we planned just for Inkie and Tic Tac to use them. With Inkie being a giant cat, we bought the super powerful toddler gear, guaranteed to deal with up to 10kg pushing power.
Installation was simple and when Inkie bounced up and down on it without it budging, we were delighted to pronounce it safe. It was an inspired purchase because the cats loved it. They pushed each other aside so they could stick their noses out and sniff the air.
While we smiled, our Tic Tac decided this was a window of opportunity for mischief.
The very next morning, as I was doing my paperwork, Tic Tac stuck her nose out of the window and meowed. Seconds later, Bertie, the dog next door, barked furiously.
Foolish me, I thought it was the postman. Bertie barked, stopped, and then Tic Tac meowed, and Bertie barked again.
About the third or fourth time, I finally connected the dots. I got up, peeked out and spotted poor Bertie running around, barking his head off, searching for the cat.
Tic Tac’s blue eyes sparkled as she turbo purred with pleasure. My admonishment was a pure waste of time. Our princess was unrepentant.
When I put her on the floor, Inkie bounced over, attracted by the kerfuffle. Tic Tac headbutted him joyfully. I swear she was laughing.
I thought it was a one-off but within hours Bertie was woofing busily again. Our naughty Tic Tac was back at her game, radiating mischief.
This time, I shut the window. Tic Tac sulked and went off to look for dogs from her living room perch.
Neither of us realised that the karma gods had seen and were waiting to pounce.
The next day I planned to deadhead our poppies. Collecting the seeds is quite simple and we want to grow more for the bees next year. So, armed with pruning shears, I put on my wellies.
Tic Tac rushed up, meowing excitedly. She loves garden time and when there are no gale force winds, we take her out with us. We’ve added a length of skipping rope to her harness so that she has a few metres of play. As we work, Tic Tac snoopervises; it’s the perfect match.
Slipping her into her harness took a second. We trotted out, Tic Tac having a quick roll on the path before rushing onto the grass. I fixed her leash to the stand and began my work while Tic Tac inspected the wildflowers.
Tic Tac loves the garden.
We were getting along beautifully, me with the poppy pods dropping nicely into my container and Tic Tac investigating a beetle trotting along busily under the magnolia bush. When it strolled off, she danced over to the fence, sniffing at a buttercup breaking through the slats and nibbling at the wild grass that pokes through from next door.
She was in mid-chew when there was an almighty WOOF. Tic Tac jumped a mile, all fur up on end at once. There was another woof from next door and excited canine panting. Bertie was getting his own back with bells on.
Tic Tac was flat on the path, frozen to the spot and with eyes like saucers. When I scooped her up, I felt her heart beating frantically. “Serves you right,” I told her. “What’s sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander.”
While my words were stern, we went straight inside. Tic Tac deserved her comeuppance but she is just a little cat, so I offered her a soothing creamy pop for cats.
At the rustle of the treat box opening, Inkie and Target appeared. They kissed our snowy miscreant and joined in the treat. Within minutes, there were three happy purrs.
For now, our window is closed because the temperature dropped like a stone. When summer finally appears and the window opens again, I have no doubt that Tic Tac will be back on patrol.
Whether she’ll learn from the experience is debatable. Tic Tac is a huge tease and the temptation may be too rich to resist.
As for Bertie, we’ve not met him in person yet, but there’s no doubt that little dog is smart. We’ll keep you posted on what happens next.
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Photo: SPCA Penang/Lily Leng
