My Heroine!

I always knew Bonny was clever but tonight she proved that, not only was she intelligent, but brave and persistent as well.

I have already reported that she and the resident Devonian cat Maisie were getting on better than anyone expected, but what I would never have guessed was that Bonny would risk my displeasure to rescue her!

Maisie is a stay at home cat. She would prefer to curl up on a lap than be hunting in the undergrowth. She also eats about once an hour – or at least comes looking for something that regularly. Today, as usual, she spent the majority of her day with Bonny and me. She disappeared at around 4pm and since it was sunny, I assumed she had gone off to bask somewhere. I gave Bonny a last walk at 5 and then fed her. I was a little surprised that Maisie missed this exciting time of the day, but assumed she would be along.

Bonny had had a morning out at the seaside (her first experience of the sea) and several small walks since so it was high time she settled down for the evening as usual. I was also pleasantly tired and so became quite irritated when Bonny refused to settle and instead kept going to the front door and whining, with the odd loud yap thrown in. Several times I took her back into the lounge and told her sternly to stay put. Even when I ate my supper – usually a time when I have her undivided attention, she paced between me and the door with an almost human expression of impatience on her furry face.

I washed up, took Bonny outside for a last wee and because I was cross with her, made her go in the opposite direction from where she was pulling me. I then tried to relax in front of the TV, but was distracted by Bonny acting like she had ants in her pants and by an increasing concern about the missing Maisie.

OK, I know now I was being very slow, but I never imagined Bonny was trying to tell me something – that only happens to owners of Lassie and the like. But eventually I said to her, ‘Where’s Maisie then?’ I think if she could speak English, Bonny’s response would have been along the lines of ‘Wow, better late than never, Thicko!’ She jumped up at the door and barked. I slipped her lead on and this time let her go where she wanted. it wasn’t far. She went straight to the door of the annex – newly built for my host’s mum but not yet occupied. Immediately I guessed what had happened. Earlier in the afternoon I had let someone in to check the fire alarm and I assume that Maisie accompanied them unseen and was locked in when they left. Sure enough a sad little face popped up at the window and as soon as I got the keys and opened the door, a grateful, hungry and stressed little cat streaked out.

The really amazing thing is that as soon as we got back in the house, Maisie approached Bonny and rubbed herself right down Bonny’s side, for all the world like a gesture of thanks. Bonny gave her ear a lick and then, exhausted, retired to her bed where she stayed for the rest of the evening. How did Maisie know who to thank? They may have been tolerating each other well, but there had been no physical contact up to that point and I didn’t think there ever would be.

I was so impressed that despite me yelling at her and dragging her away from the door, Bonny persisted until I finally got the message.

Bonny Lass – my little heroine!