Since Brax, the kelpie, has been featured in my last two posts, and his picture has graced my last three posts, it would be remiss of me not to tell you the story of this funny little guy.
Just like all the other furry creatures here, he won the good-life lottery.
Life for him is a series of days and nights spent eating good food, exploring the wilderness, looking for adventure, playing, and sleeping.
Oh, and toys, toys, toys …
But he didn’t always have it so good.
Rescued from his first caregiver — who decided he no longer wanted the work and responsibility of owning a puppy and had all manner of evil things planned for Brax’s demise — he was then shuffled between homes and people until he got lucky and ended up here, at Eagle Hill.
It’s here that he found security and a stable home, and when you get right down to it, that’s all most of us really want.
When Brax first arrived, he’d never seen a cat before. I had my misgivings about taking him in, given the predominantly feline population of the house. But after a few days, and much sniffing between dog and cats, they warmed to him.
Well, warmed to him is a bit of an understatement. I already had a representative of the canine species, my lovely old border collie, Teddy. I’ll introduce that sweet soul in a later post.
So, my cats are used to having a dog around, but Brax seems to be a super cat-magnet, like he’s been dipped in catnip and the smell never fades.
The pictures say it all.
It’s not just his new friend, Minicat, who can’t leave him alone (see previous post for the story of Minicat).
My other cats seek him out to sit with him in the garden, or lie around inside; they can’t get enough of him. They bother him almost to the point of annoying him … almost. He loves them just as much, and delights in all the attention.
It’s a rare moment when he’s by himself, without a cat close by.
Perhaps he thinks he’s one of them. He washes himself like a cat; he’s obviously been watching them and taking notes.
Not content with having just the loves of the cats, Brax is also obsessed with toys. If it’s furry and it squeaks, he loves it. He owns a huge toy box full of fluffy, squeaky, colored toys, and often has trouble deciding which one to play with. I’m always picking up and putting away the toys strewn all over the house. He’s just like any other healthy, active two-year-old.
Let’s see then … toys, cats, fluffy, and squeaky.
Are you seeing some similarities here?
I may have worked out Brax’s attraction to cats, but what about their attraction to him?
Is he a distant relative of catnip? Are they drawn to his gentle nature and pungent doggy smell?
Or is it just a case of Everybody Loves Brax? After all, it’s not only the cats who love him; everyone he meets falls in love with him — apparently his first caregiver was the only one who was immune to his charms.
I think it’s his love of life and everything in it. His enthusiasm for living is infectious. Sure, he has his bad-dog moments, but he learns quickly and he’s a fun and lively housemate who gets along with everyone, even guests and visitors.
It seems only fitting that after a chaotic and uncertain start in life, such a beautiful doggy soul has found himself the perfect home and family for as long as he needs it.
Even my cats will agree.
Until next time, keep the faith …
