It's 1 a.m., Do You Know Where Your Animals Are?

If you are one of my animals, you are some place you shouldn't be. Last night I got up at 1 a.m. to take my cough medicine. As I walked into the living room, I turned on the light and grabbed a Kleenex. Laying there on the couch was Dante, acting like he owned the place. He didn't even bother trying to slink off the couch hoping I didn't see him. Instead, he sat there like, "what's up mom?" I just looked at him and said outloud, "boy, you are so busted."

He starts to get down as I continue my walk to the kitchen. Suddenly I hear a jingle bell coming from the doggie door. I know without looking that it's Dexter, coming in from outside. Since he doesn't have claws, and was raised in an apartment, we really don't like Dexter going outside, but if you've ever tried to train a cat, you know how hard that is. About his only deterrent for anything is the dogs, especially Allegra. I pretty much know that he starts and ends the night in the bedroom, but when we are asleep, he sneaks out the door, timing his return shortly before our alarms go off. Sometimes he even does it if we are just in the living room and not paying attention. A couple of weeks ago I put a big jingle bell on his collar, thinking it might attract Allegra's attention and she would keep him from going outside. It hasn't worked.

As I call his name to let Dexter know that he too is busted, Dante decides to redeem himself by giving the cat the what for. By this time Allegra wakes and comes from the bedroom to join Dante in chasing Dexter back into the bedroom. "Yeah, Dante," I think, "you're a big help. Not only are you on the couch, the cat walks right past you to go outside and you are sawing some logs." I really can't imagine what we would see the animals doing if we had a Webcam on them while we were at work.