Close encounters of the feline kind

We stayed in a motel for last weekend's agility trials (of which I will post video if I ever get it downloaded from my camera to my computer, uploaded to YouTube and downloaded to this blog. Seriously, did anyone ever use the words download and upload until about 5 years ago? I think not.)

Anyway, Saturday night I took Phoenix out to potty and as we were going back to the motel, I saw a lady carrying a VariKennel across the parking lot. It looked very heavy and awkward and I wondered why she didn't just take the dog out and let it walk instead.

Since we arrived at the door at the same time, I held the door for her since she obviously had her hands full.

Phoenix went on full alert. Uh-oh.

There were CATS in the VariKennel!

We got through the door with a minimum of mayhem. I crossed the lobby and punched the elevator button. Hey, give me a break. My room was on the third floor and you know how exhausted you are after running agility all day. Yeah . . . um . . . two runs, each under 60 seconds . . . yeah . . . really makes a body tired.

So anyway, I'm waiting for the elevator and Phoenix is dancing around behind me, scoping out the cats and making squeaking sounds. The cat lady's friend is asking what her cats think about dogs and she is saying something like, "Oh, they've met a dog before." And I'm thinking, what, a chihuahua? Because they're not looking very happy in that VariKennel even though I've got Phoenix on a tight leash and am not letting him get any closer.

The cat in the front of the crate was kind of smushed up against the wire door. I think the one behind it was shoving it forward, probably hopeful if the crazy-looking dog ate him first, maybe he wouldn't still be hungry for the cat in the back, too.

The elevator comes and we get on and holy smoke - the cat lady starts to get on, too. Phoenix is on total Over The Top Red Cat Alert by now. Everything on that dog that could be standing straight up is - his tail, his hackles, his whiskers. His ears were crossing at the tips and that is NEVER a good sign. The squeaking sounds had stopped and he was licking his chops.

Fortunately, the cat lady's friend noticed this (and possibly the fact I had a white knuckle death grip on his leash) and cleverly deduced that it might be in everyone's best interest if they waited for the next elevator. The cat lady herself seemed oblivious. The cats didn't look happy about any of it but I suspect they weren't happy about being in a box in the first place and the additional threat of a dog in their faces didn't help.

Phoenix was terribly disappointed. He was pretty sure the two cats in a box were his prize for getting a JWW leg that day.