Hey Coyote, My Kitty is Not Your Kibble!

I was running late for work this morning (because I'd been working!), just about ready to walk out the door, when Shasta started barking furiously (or as furiously as an uber-friendly Golden Retriever can bark, anyway). I looked outside and noticed a coyote in our front yard! I opened the door, thinking the coyote would run away, but it just looked at me, like, "Whaaaaat?" So I ran outside, shooing him away. Instead of running, it slowly mozied out of our yard and onto the street, looking back every few seconds, presumably to see if I'd given up the chase yet.

I had to chase the dang dog all the way across the street and up the hill before I was sure it was headed away.

At that point, my biggest concern was for Boo and Bailey, who were outside somewhere. We keep them in at night because we know coyotes are around then, but never thought we had to worry in broad daylight!

I called both of them.

Nothing.

Called some more.

Nothing.

Then finally I saw a gray and white puff-ball out of the corner of my eye. It was Bailey -- five times her normal size and with every hair on her hide pointing straight out! She was terrified... and apparently paralyzed! I called her to come to me, but she scattered under the deck. After a bit of a game of cat and... mom, I finally grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and brought her into the house, closing the open window so she couldn't get out again.

And now, for Boo.

"Boooooooooo?" I called.

Nothing.

"Boooooo! Kitty-kitty!"

And there he was, mozying to me with not a care in the world.

Whaaaaaaat? You woke me up...

I grabbed him, too, and put him into the house with l'il ol' Puffball.

It'll be a while before we let Boo and Bailey out again because those coyote are on the prowl! Local cat lovers, take note!