Cleanup on aisle CAT

 

The cat / dog detente, in a nutshell.

On Thursday, at some point, the puppy knocked over one of the baby gates.  Oh, it wasn't in use, it was laid aside waiting for when it might be needed, leaning up against a counter.  Puppy jumped to try to see what was on the counter.  On the "off" command, she brought the gate crashing down with a loud boom!

A secondary "boom" happened, but I couldn't figure out what that second "boom" was!  An echo, perhaps?  Something fell down in another room, maybe?

Later in the day, not sure how much later, the cat came up the stairs, asking to go outside.  I don't remember what/where the puppy was at the time, but there was a clear path to the exit, and he was able to go out without being pursued.

End of story?  I did not put the pieces together until this morning in the dark of pre-sunrise.  I filled The Prisoner's breakfast bowl, and started to carry it down to the laundry room to set him up in his own "safe space", and found this:

It would seem that the secondary "boom" was the light globe on one of the laundry room lights.  Enough vibration had accumulated over time that when the gate crashed, one floor up, it was the final straw.

I could not put the Prisoner in that room as it was.  I could also not delay getting Ember out for her morning potty before feeding her.  So, we went back to the al fresco breakfast for Prisoner on the deck, and whisking the bowl away once he paused, so that Ember could go do her thing.  Not quite the most peaceful situation for the beginning of the day.  But we carried on.

Ember was not particularly happy to be put back in her den in the 6 a.m. hour, so that mom could go clean up the shattered glass and run the vacuum down in the laundry room.  All cat food and water dishes have been removed and washed "just in case" slivers could have been mixed into the water or cat food.

Ember came back out for play about 6:50. She was out being a good girl for about an hour and a smidge before she had to go back in because Mom had to get ready to go to the trainer.  Not a normal Friday schedule, but normal enough for a trainer day schedule except for that 6 a.m. hour.  

In general news:  Ember seems to have found her voice.  She barks more now that she has up to this point.  Sigh.  But a lot of the nipping has moderated, for which I am grateful.  One puppy developmental issue at a time, eh?

The current play focus (at least this morning) was the staircase.  We played up and down the stairs with that ball quite a bit.  Other toys, too.

Life is good.  Spark on!