Leroy and the Neighbor's Cat

Once when we lived way up north where it's real cold in winter, We had a dog named Leroy, it's him I now remember. We took him from a real bad home where he was abused and beaten. The man was going to shoot him for that man was a cretin. Leroy was a Beagle cross with Doxie or Corgi mixed in. Whatever was his background it made a real good blend. He really took to me straightway, became my biggest fan. My little buddy through and through and I thought he was grand. He was a funny little guy, he had a thing for cats. He didn't want to hurt them but adopted them as pets. My neighbor came to me one day for help with her new kitten. It wouldn't play games with her dog as would her big cat, Mitten. I told her that would come in time that she must just be patient. The kitten had to learn to trust, she couldn't be impatient. I went over to her house and there to my surprise, Was Cougar, our big, buff cat with great big amber eyes. "Cougar! What are you here for? I better take you home! I'm sorry that he's in your house. He usually doesn't roam." My neighbor told me, "That's my cat." "Oh no' I said, 'he's mine." Leroy looked up at the cat. No doubt was in his mind. The cat looked down at Leroy. He stiffened in my arms. How was he to know this dog really meant no harm. Leroy leaped up off the ground. He barked,"Come on, let's play!" The cat exploded in a cloud of cat hair, spit and spray. My chest and arms were bleeding, pee ran down my shirt. My neighbor looked concerned and said, "Judy, are you hurt?" "I really thought he was my cat. You'd think there'd be some sign." My neighbor looked at me and laughed, "I told you he was mine."