During the summer, I managed to lock a skinny, mangy looking cat into one of our garages. It wasn’t my fault, honest; it was raining and the cat had hid in the garage. Three days later I opened the garage to find a cat meowing and winding itself in and out of my legs. I was impressed that the cat had not peed or messed in the garage and I instantly named the cat Blacky.
Mrs Sensible didn’t think the name was appropriate, so she asked Luigina, if she knew who the scrawny cat belonged to. Luigina keeps her finger on the pulse of village life and was able to tell Mrs Sensible that the cat lives across the road with the woman who has the wolf that Gilda torments.
We carried the cat across the road and as we handed it back to its owner, one of her dogs jumped up and tried to eat one of the cat’s legs. While the cat meowed and tried to escape the dog, the lady told us that the cat was called Scooby Doo!!! Now I think naming a cat after a dog is even less appropriate than naming a white cat Blacky.
Since the summer, Scooby Doo has decided to use our house as the local takeaway and we have fattened him up. He arrives at our house at 6.30 in the morning and then after 7.00 pm in the evening. He sits and meows outside our window until one of us gets up and finds him some left over scraps of meat. Last week the cat arrived and started meowing, but the cupboards were bare. We couldn’t find any left-overs that the cat could eat. We couldn’t get the cat to shut up, so we threw it some of my precious salame piccante.
The decision was made: we don’t own a cat but as he prefers to come here and eat our left-overs than share a house with a dog that wants to eat him, we decided to buy some cat food. The problem now is, Scooby Doo likes the cat food so much he wants to eat three square meals a day.
The time of day that Scooby Doo arrives is important and proves this cat is not stupid. From 7.00 pm until 7.00 am both Gilda and Lilla are under house arrest; they are both securely locked up and although it drives them mad to see and hear a cat meowing outside our window, there is nothing they can do.
This lunchtime, Scooby Doo came asking to be fed, but the take away was closed, so Scobby Doo decided to sit on my car and wait for opening time. And then trouble arrived in the shape of Gilda and Lilla. They often wander over from Luigina’s house to say hello. The cat froze. I ran in search of my camera.
From my bedroom window, I was taking photos and laughing at the two dogs. Scooby Doo was watching the two dogs and Mrs Sensible and Donna (who became famous following the Vicious snake attacks defenceless woman in Italy post) were trying to distract the two dogs from the lounge window.
Lilla smelled a rat, or more likely a cat and wandered off in search of it.
The cat never moved.
The cat looked at the short legged but extremely fat dog with utter contempt. And then Lilla arrived…
It was at this point that Scooby Doo decided it was time to take a leisurely walk home.
And then Scooby Doo launched himself into the air and Lilla did a back flip and attempted to catch the flying cat.
And then the chase was on. “GOOOOO Scooooby”… shouted Mrs Sensible and Donna.
Despite the fact that Gilda has short stumpy legs and is carrying several excess pounds and was also late at setting off, she soon overtook the trim Lilla. The only sound was the crowd shouting encouragement to Scooby as he ran for home.
As I precariously hung out the bedroom window, capturing the race for posterity and Mrs Sensible and Donna cheered the cat on. I did wonder if the high protein diet we are feeding Scooby Doo helped him in his escape from the terrible twosome.
The excitement was almost too much to bear; even the Grand National or Formula One is never as exciting as this.
Scooby Doo raced around the corner of the house, while Gilda who couldn’t corner as fast (due to her short legs and excess weight) ran directly in front of Lilla. The race was starting to resemble an episode from the Keystone Cops.
And with that, the race is over. The cat clears the fence and Gilda and Lilla screech to a stop.
This evening at twelve minutes past seven, Scooby Doo came around for his evening meal.
LOL! You’ve spiked that cat food with Red Bull, haven’t you???
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Red Bull gives you wings.. 🙂
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Great action shots! I think Scooby Doo has chosen his humans well! 🙂
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He picked Mrs Sensible… He meows until we throw him some food-
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I’m pretty sure my neighbor feeds my cat. She is so obese now she has fat pockets that swing when she walks.
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Ha ha.. Scooby Doo will never get fat, not with all the dogs in the village trying to eat him.
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Hmmm. I bet Scooby Doo pulls the same trick all down the road!
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He was very skinny when we first started to feed him. 😦
None of the other houses lock up their dogs so I am not sure..
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Have you checked your sandwiches lately ? Are you sure that the tins are for the cat ? 😉 Ralph 😀
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ha ha ha ha. Mrs Sensible wouldn’t do that to me… would she?
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Well !!!! They eat a lot of funny things in these Mediterranean countries, but Mrs Sensible is Italian… yes ? …….uh oh !! 😉
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Thank God the cat is still young. why is the woman allowing her beautiful cat roaming provileges when it appears that the local dogs are going to kill it. I think it is disgusting to let the poor/fat cat be a perfect target for cat killing dogs. I applaud your and Mrs Sensible for feeding the animal. It seems that it would be better off not living across the street. Well maybe that is a toss up about where it is the safest.
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Here in the countryside cats tend to be kept to keep the mice away and dogs to keep burglars away.
Scooby Doo spends a lot of time outside my garage because the boiler is in there and the heat seeps under the door to the cat.
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What a ripping good yarn! That’s a handsome looking cat. I note there are no cans of cat food con agnello in the pantry …
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He is really affectionate. He winds himself in and around our legs as we try to walk down the drive. Nope no agnello.
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Ha ha, your post made me smile 🙂
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Hi Suzjones,
I am glad it made you laugh. Life here is full of fun and a little madness 🙂
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Oh my god, my heart was pounding reading that – I wanted Scooby to get away so much! 🙂 Fantastic photos! I love that all of you took time out from whatever it was you were doing to photograph, cheer etc 😉
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It was really funny, we were watching a film when Scooby Doo arrived and started meowing for more food. We told him no, so he went and sat on my Mini. Five minutes later Gilda and Lilla turned up, probably looking for food. So I grabbed my camera and headed for my bedroom.
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I love your life 😉
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Thank you..:) Me too.
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Why don’t we move there? The menagerie deserves more coverage!
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But who would cover the Latvians?!
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I think they could do with a bit of a rest, actually. Especially where Latvian grandpas’ weary appendages are concerned.
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They’ve shrivelled after your disparaging comment 😉
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I must be missing something somewhere! Latvian Grandpas weary appendages??
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🙂 Great story. Much better than grand national and Formula One combined. Cloro heads for the nearest tree, alters the angle of attack and shoots straight up faster than an F-16 leaving a frustrated dog at the bottom.
AV
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Cats are really clever. These three have had one or two chases over the summer, but my camera was never close by.
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Hahaha! Those photos win the cat AND dog internet 🙂 Brilliant!
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Thanks, there is always something mad happening around here.
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quite a race you have outside your window, did you have a fast shooting camera?
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Yes, I set my camera to sports action pussy cat chase mode. It was all over in a couple of seconds.
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I could feel the thrill of the chase! Very exciting, and I am so glad it had a happy ending. 🙂
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It brightened up our day. I am not sure what Scooby Doo thought about it. I loved watching Gilda crash into Lilla because she couldn’t corner. She is fast in a straight line, but cornering is a bit of a problem. 🙂
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Now that conjures up another amusing picture – Gilda and her cornering abilities! 😀 She wouldn’t do very well on a circular race track.
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She is like a drag racer. Fantastic in a straight line, but absolutely rubbish at cornering. She ran straight into Lilla.
I think if you look closely at the picture, you can see her short stubby legs trying to find some grip and valiantly try to corner while her body continues to steam ahead like the Titanic.
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Poor Gilda, perhaps she should have some high quality gripping boots made (previously used F1 tyres perhaps?) to help her with her cornering. Oh, and her flapping ears are hilarious too. 😀
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If we fitted her with high performance rubber boots, the smell of burning rubber as she corners would be dreadful.
I am surprised she didn’t trip over them. I think we need to get a doggie treadmill for her.
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I look forward to the photos!
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Brilliant! Loved the photos and the running commentary and the fact that you ran for your camera while Mrs Sensible cheered Scooby Doo on! A cat once dared to meander in our garden and Mutley went crazy chasing it around until the cat turned on her, arched it’s back, hissed and went for her and then she ran off with her tail between her legs barking all high pitched because she was scared! She’s a big soft fraidy cat at heart… all bark and no bite! 🙂
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Mutley is a great name for a dog. When Scooby Doo arrives in the evening, Gilda goes mental, sometimes Scooby Doo and I take a little stroll over to the dogs pen and say hello to them. Scooby meows, purrs and winds in and out of my legs. Gilda on the other hand goes berserk, she runs up and down her pen barking at us. Poor dog.
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I nicknamed my dog Mutley, her real name is Tala which is Native American and means Wolf! I think Mutley suits her though! Poor old Gilda being tormented by you and Scooby Doo! I have to say, I was impressed with her speed when chasing Scooby though… considering her short legs and fat tummy! 🙂
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We were amazed at her speed, considering her weight and naturally short and stumpy legs.
We don’t torment Gilda, well not much anyway.
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Hmm 🙂
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At first I thought this was going to be a new diet you just found out Mrs Sensible put you on. 😉 Loved the pictorial story. Smart Scooby Doo knew he’d get away in the end.
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I wonder what the fat content of cat food is? Mrs Sensible says it is probably healthier than corn beef, spam or Mac Donalds. We were howling with laughter when we reviewed the photos on the laptop. Especially the one of Gilda in full flight. I was amazed at how fast she was considering her excessive body weight.
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I don’t know about the fat content but I do know here in the states pet food is made from the part of the animals that can’t be sold for human consumption. Enjoy. 🙂
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Great story! I do think that Blacky was the more appropriate name…glad to see the take-away has been stockig up 😉
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Scooby Doo still answers to Blacky, mind you, he would probably answer to ‘scabby cat’ if he thought he was going to be fed.
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ah yes…cat’s do become rather blasè about names if food is involve 😉
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🙂
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Haha this is an excellent set of shots. I was definitely rooting for Scooby, though fat dogs running are always winners in my heart.
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Drugs test required!
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Pure adrenaline….
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Great action shots!! And great commentary! I think you have a bright future as a sports commentator! We always think of cats as the underdogs, but it’s really the other way around, isn’t it? They are so much smarter because of their cunning, but dogs are so loveable in their stupidity 🙂
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Thank you for your comment.
I must search out a job for Commentator of cat / dog races, I would have so much fun… 🙂 🙂
I loved the way Scooby thought her white fur was perfect camouflage against the blue of my Mini. We were giggling like mad, the dogs knew something was amiss. 🙂
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They’d give the Melbourne Cup a run for it’s money! We also feed a few of the Borgata dogs who come around in shifts…..make that come around looking shifty xxx
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🙂 Lisa please blog on wordpress…
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go scooby! funny, i was thinking keystone cops too, or 3 stooges. really is like a scooby episode, with misfit bad guys who aren’t quite as dangerous as they appear to be )
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I’m always amazed at how fast fat little weiner dogs can move! Go Gilda! So cute. 🙂
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She is fast, I think it is something to do with her aerodynamic shape and her flapping ears that she uses to stabilise herself.
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HILARIOUS! Way better than Man of Steel, this tale of adventure and mayhem!
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I could write a blog and update it daily with Gilda’s adventures 🙂
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It would be an instahit!
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lol 🙂 Gilda gets enough space for her little fat body here.
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Awesome photos! If I try to take an action shot they end up blurry. It’s awesome how you take an everyday event like a cat visit and make it an exciting post.
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🙂 🙂 My camera has a setting called IPP = idiot proof photos. I can point the camera in the general direction of the action and it does the rest. I have looked in the camera instruction booklet to see if it has a MACOT setting ‘make a cup of tea’ because I hate making them. 😉 Have a great weekend. Pecora Nera
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Awww, you now have a cat, hahaha.
I always feed the strays and one day I found the farmer’s cat sleeping on my bed! 🙂 he was a huge cuddle bug but full of ticks and fleas so he promptly got evicted from my fluffy pillows. When the farmer moved Fatcat never left the area so whenever I see him I always feed him. My cat is so jealous whenever he comes around because she is an indoor cat and she tries to attack Fatcat at the door. It is very entertaining . Good luck!
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I loved this story. I love cats, and this made me smile, which I really needed today! So thanks for stopping by my blog and introducing me this great fun! 🙂
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hi Deborah, I am glad it made you smile. If you love cats I can parcel up Scooby Doo and send him to you 😉
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haha,I’m not sure our little rescue chihuahua would like that idea. Then again, I’m not sure Scooby Doo would like it either. 😉
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hello pecora nera its dennis the vizsla dog hay nice to meet yoo!!! and my dada sed i shud ask if their wuz benny hill myoozik playing in the bakgrownd wile this chayse wuz going on i hav no ideea wot he is tawking abowt as yoozhual!!! ok bye
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Fantastic. 🙂
I am on my way toooo lookie ata youra bolga
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Oh, no, I swear you did pack up Scooby and send him to Venice. There was a rather well fed white cat winding his way around my ankles the other day just down the calle from me. How did you get my address? Is Yvonne responsible? It was a lovely white cat anyway.
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Yvonne wouldn’t give me your address 😦 The cat must be related to Scooby Doo because Scooby was meowing outside our window this morning.
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Probably Scooby’s twin. Yes, two of them. When he gets wise he will meander a few feet down the calle and be meowing at my door. Sucker for cats that I am.
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[message] please submit address . cat can be sent . no cost to recipient [end of transmission] 🙂
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Obviously Mrs. Sensible has not informed you of the price of cat food. No cost my eye.
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LOL @ that story line.. AND LOL at the commentary re sticking red bull in the cat food *snorks*
Made my day! lololol
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We have commentators who are as mad as me.
Mrs Sensible and I have a good laugh at different comments and suggestions people make, it is the best part of blogging.
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#LoveIt LOL 😀
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