When my husband walked into the house with a twelve-week old Cairn Terrier puppy tucked into his coat pocket, most of our cats went berserk. How dare he interrupt their calm and predictable day-to-day routine with this rowdy Tasmanian devil! While most of them were posturing, hissing, spitting, and blowing up like puffer fish, Gooey was encircling the new addition with great interest and a sparkle in his eye. I could almost hear him thinking "WOW! What a fabulous new toy!"

We named her Peaches, and she demonstrated early on that she was no fool. At first she seemed stunned and dumbfounded by Gooey's displays of affection, but she soon realized that he was her strongest ally and her safe haven from the outstretched claws and rude comments of the other cats. They hung together from day one, and Gooey took seriously his new position of Bodyguard. He used to sit in a nearby chair and watch over Peaches while she slept, protecting her from feline ambushes. When she'd awaken, the two of them would play. Peaches used to fling that poor cat four feet into the air and shake him like a rag doll, but whenever we'd separate them so Gooey could get a break, he'd howl unceasingly until we put them back together again. He'd be mad at us for spoiling his fun!

The two of them shared their toys, their food and water bowls, and their side-by-side afternoon naps in the sun. After determined persistence on Gooey's part, the sweet-natured Peaches even relented to sharing her bed with him. He'd talk to her all the time (bossing her around, no doubt), and sometimes it seemed as though he was attempting to teach her how to sing. Peaches never quite got the hang of it, though, preferring instead to focus on other tricks, such as the art of stalking a human head from the uppermost perches of the couch. Gooey was quite proud when she mastered that one.

It is such a gift to be able to observe the dynamics of this unusual relationship on a daily basis. The unwavering devotion of these two little characters is truly an inspiration!