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The Slice: You might try to avoid that ‘dog’

It’s time for an installment of Furry Talk, the interactive pets column that answers questions from Spokane area cats and dogs.

You wouldn’t believe the letters and emails that arrive from Inland Northwest animals seeking advice.

To FT: I’m a barn cat who can take care of himself. Even the dogs on our place give me a wide berth. (Though I have to admit, they’re pretty good-natured.) But now and then I see a funny looking canine with skinny legs and a pointed snout. And I must say I don’t care for the look he gives me. There’s something evil in his eyes. Should I try to talk to him?” — Puss Puss in the Palouse

Dear PP: No. Steer clear. That’s a coyote. You might want to start carrying a rifle.

To FT: My mentor, a stout-hearted dog named Bear who had seen 11 winters, went off to forever sleep. And my people have been quiet. I want to cheer them up with puppyesque antics, but the truth is I’m a bit old for that. Is there something else I could do? — Second Dog in Sandpoint

Dear SD: Just be there for them. And when they rub your head and say how much they miss Bear, look them in the eyes and tell them that you do, too.

To FT: Do you remember that “Prairie Home Companion” story about the grade school in Minnesota that assigned all the children a “storm home,” in case the winter weather was so bad the kids couldn’t make it to their own houses? Well, I am a South Hill cat who already has a storm home — the Kruegers’ place next door. If my owner was away, they would take me in and give me tartar-control treats and tuna. But what about other Spokane cats? How can they make similar arrangements? — Small Snow Leopard

Dear SSL: Your kind has been making friends with people for a long time. Local cats simply need to submit an application with a promising family. Either that or give someone a shin-rub while he or she is raking leaves.

Today’s Slice question: It has long been fashionable to say there’s nothing good on TV. But do you actually find that you don’t have time to watch all the programs that interest you?

Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. The Slice Blog at www.spokesman.com still recognizes Pluto. Let’s hear it for unoriginal baby names.

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