Why Milo? – The Surprises Brought by a Little Cat--2

Chapter 2: From Hostility to Intimacy: Milo's Relationship with the Dogs

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In this chapter, we explore Milo’s evolving relationship with the family dogs. Initially, there’s tension and even hostility, as the dogs are unsure of this new, tiny intruder in their space. But as time passes, Milo's curiosity and resilience begin to break down the barriers between them. What starts as cautious interactions gradually turns into moments of shared warmth and companionship. This chapter delves into the growth of trust, the moments of playful bonding, and how Milo, once an outsider, becomes an integral part of the family pack. His journey with the dogs serves as a reminder of how patience and understanding can transform relationships, even among the most unlikely companions.

My son has two large female dogs. One is a black German Shepherd named Shadow, and the other is a white Siberian Husky named Snowy.

Soon, Snowy was the first to notice an unfamiliar scent in the house and the occasional quiet, squeaky noise. She carries herself like a proud, tall lady, walking with an elegant, high-heeled stride. With her proud, blue eyes, she often looks at people with a sideways glance, as if she knew she's naturally beautiful with pristine, white fur and no blemishes. When taking her out on walks, people often shout from a distance, "Your dog is so beautiful!" or "I love your dog." She had attended a "prestigious dog school", receiving formal training. Back when she participated in competitions, she’d always place first. With her gorgeous looks, her physique, her qualifications, and her intelligence, what’s not to be proud of?

When she goes upstairs, she carefully surveys the surroundings, her eyes alert, and she quickly loses her previous elegance, transforming into a soldier. We could already sense her hostility and tension.

My daughter quickly ran to her room, locked the door, and stayed silent, afraid something might go wrong. My son, however, smiled mischievously. Full of confidence, he eagerly waited for the dogs’ reaction to meeting Milo. Of course, I didn’t dare let Snowy approach too quickly, but avoiding it wasn’t an option either. They had to meet sooner or later., so I thought about knocking on the door and discussing it with my daughter. I asked her to introduce the dogs to Milo. At first she was hesitant, especially since Snowy, in particular, was our first line of defense. My daughter asked repeatedly, "Are you sure Milo won’t get hurt? Are you sure? Are you sure?" I reassured her, "I’m sure, I’m sure, I promise."

Then, my daughter opened the door, holding Milo in her arms. She gently placed him in my left hand as I cautiously covered him with my right, leaving just a little part of his body exposed. He was much more precious than diamonds, and I couldn’t bear to let anything happen to him. After getting my daughter's confirmation, I allowed Snowy to sniff Milo, hoping that by being cautious, we could prevent Snowy's “wild instincts” from kicking in.

When Snowy finally realized that he was family and not an intruder, her attitude visibly relaxed. She carefully sniffed Milo's scent and then gently licked his body,

After Snowy had her turn, Shadow came plodding up with her strong steps. She always walks with her neck stretched forward and her head lowered, remaining modest. Although she didn't graduate from the same “prestigious dog school” as Snowy, she was actually advised to quit, since she didn’t think that it was necessary to follow the rules. She doesn’t understand all the complex regulations, always returning to my son’s side in her own way. But she is a loyal companion who is always there when called, and we don’t worry about her running off, even without a leash.

When Snowy runs away, it’s always Shadow who alerts us. Once, when my son was skiing, Snowy ran too far and got caught in a tree. Shadow, even though her paw was injured, returned to report the situation. Without her, no one would have found Snowy in the cold, desolate woods.

Though she’s somewhat silly and clingy, sometimes annoying, her kindness, generosity, and selflessness make her endearing.

She hadn’t noticed Milo at all and went about her usual business—sniffing people’s legs, licking hands. We all laughed watching her, but she seemed uninterested and wandered off as if she were saying, "What’s so funny?” Her heavy, low breaths didn’t resemble a girl at all; she was more like a lovable pig. We laughed and called out, “Shadow, look who this is!” She lazily responded, as if saying, "Why does it matter?”

When she finally saw Milo in my hand, it was too late. Unlike Snowy, she was far less graceful. She excitedly tried to lick all the fur off Milo, disregarding his feelings and our attempts to stop her. She nearly knocked my daughter over, showing too much enthusiasm.

Although there was no real danger, and it seemed that animals accepted Milo, it must’ve been very scary for him. I could feel him trembling in my hands. At first, every time he heard the loud footsteps, he would quickly hide in any small crevice and secretly watch them. Milo was so small, and we couldn’t risk leaving him unsupervised. We couldn’t blame ourselves for being distrustful; Milo was probably thinking, "How unlucky am I? How did I end up in a wolf's den?"

Milo’s Gradual Adjustment and Growing Confidence

As time passed, Milo gradually adapted to life at home. He began to accept the presence of the two big dogs, especially as his size and courage grew. Despite this, whenever the dogs rushed toward him, Milo still felt a little nervous. He would often hide under the sofa, trying to avoid possible danger.

However, the two “big companions” didn’t lose their enthusiasm. Snowy wasn’t as proud as before, and seemed to have forgotten her initial indifference toward Milo. Now, she truly liked him. Whenever they saw Milo, Shadow’s enthusiasm was so overwhelming that it was almost too much. She would try to lick him incessantly, almost rudely, showing her affection. Milo would keep backing away and meowing in attempt to escape. But Shadow didn’t understand, continuing to shower him with affectionate kisses, even to the point of knocking him over. She then tried to let him lie down and continue kissing him, as if she were saying, “Come on, you can trust me.”

For little Milo, this excessive affection sometimes left him feeling overwhelmed, and my daughter had to step in to mediate the situation before things escalated.

In contrast, Snowy seemed much gentler. Milo seemed to prefer Snowy, even though he didn’t fully understand her curious nature.

One day, when Milo was eating without hostility, Snowy’s instincts finally kicked in. I heard her suddenly make a loud, strange “woof,” and my daughter quickly ran to me, crying out, "I’m really scared she might bite him."

At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought maybe Snowy was just trying to scare Milo, so I asked, “Did she really bite him?” My daughter confirmed. It turned out that Snowy, in an attempt to grab Milo’s food, had quickly taken his head into her mouth before quickly letting him go.

For Milo, this moment must’ve felt like a nightmare. My daughter was shocked when she saw it happen. In fact, Snowy could sometimes be overly rough when showing affection, much like how she used to treat Shadow. At one point, Shadow lost a lot of fur and even bled due to Snowy’s harsh treatment. Though Snowy had never harmed anyone, she once ran away and instinctively hunted our neighbor’s chickens. From that moment on, whenever Snowy showed affection, Milo still couldn’t fully trust her. Every time he saw Snowy approaching, he would immediately back away, probably thinking, “That big white one is still less safe than Shadow.”

Milo’s Bond with the Family

On top of that, we never let Milo to eat alone in fear of anything like that happening again. With the greatness of Snowy and Shadow, Milo seemed so tiny, so insignificant, and helpless in comparison. Milo had developed the habit of eating with company. Whenever this happened, Milo would purr with contentment. Perhaps this was the moment he felt safest and happiest. Snowy and Shadow always fought for Milo’s food, as he wasn’t big enough to defend himself. As he grew, he realized that the dogs were only violent towards him because they were hungry. Outside of meal time, they made him feel loved and cared for in his new home. He accepted their affection, eventually reciprocating the feelings.

Milo’s journey with our family grows more profound with each passing day. As we continue to evolve, Chapter 3 is just around the corner.