Like a Cat

I currently have two cats in my house and have owned one other as well as had a number of cats while growing up.  My first cat (Bud) was a siamese cat who was Mr. Personality.  He would walk on leash, loved car rides and never met a lap he didn't love.  One of my current cats (Fred) is a Maine Coone mix and is very dog like.  He lines up for dog cookies, comes when he is called and is very comfortable with the dogs.  The other cat (Desi) is a female tortie and she is all "cat" but very lovable in her own way.  

The dogs is my life have been Labrador Retrievers which has also been the favourite breed in my family.  Family Christmas a few years ago had a total of six dogs and five of those were labradors.  When Lucy passed and it was time to add another dog back to our home I researched the Vizsla breed before deciding to add one to our home.  I have met quite a number of them over the past few years in our dog classes and around the city.  I am very much in love with a lot of things about this breed and especially my puppy.  What has surprised me is how many feline personality quirks are present in my new vizsla puppy.  

Stella's "cat like" behaviours include sun worshipping, sleeping curled up, play behaviour that involves using her front legs to box and masterful levels of cuddling.  She also doesn't like getting her paws wet but that is changing as she gets more used to living life on the west coast.  Lucy was never much of a snuggler but Riley is quite fond of a good cuddle especially if it is on my bed.  Stella takes that a few steps further and plasters up against me in bed and even heads down under the covers if she thinks it isn't warm enough.   She has resigned herself to sleeping mainly in her dog bed in our tv room (see entry - Battle of the Bed) but when I invite her up for a couch cuddle I swear I can almost hear her purring :o).  My cats usually sleep the night cuddled against me (one on each side and the territories never change).   Stella is crated overnight but in the morning when I open her crate she bounds over to the bed and wants up for a good long snuggle and possibly some more sleeping. 

I suppose that these behaviours aren't really "cat" but they are different from my rough and tumble labs and very similar to my cats.  She really is a very fun and happy puppy and I look forward to learning even more about this new breed in my life!

 Stella worshipping the sun in August

Bud never met a warm source he didn't love, even a light bulb!