Jasper Cat and the Slug
Greetings!
It’s been a relatively good week here. The upsetting part is that we are still dealing with our neighbor cutting down a copious amount of huge pine trees, each of which shakes our house like a short, loud earthquake. It’s really taking a toll on our nerves - as well as those of our animals. I think the worst is over but it’s been emotionally exhausting watching a beautiful forest become a field.
On the happy side, Jasper, who had lost a lot of weight for unknown reasons is just about back to full weight and acting normally. It’s a whole thing that maybe I’ll get into at some point. The important thing now is that he, Max, and Kola are all healthy, happy, and safe.
This Week:
Today I am sharing an amusing story of our ever-curious Jasper. You get the sneak peek before I publish it on Medium next week.
Jasper Cat and the Slug
This particular event happened a few years back but it is still a milestone we reference frequently. The day started pretty much the same as most days with my wife and I reluctantly waking up after hitting “Snooze” 2 or 3 times, throwing on some clothes, and heading downstairs for coffee and breakfast. My wife had gotten up a couple of hours earlier to feed the cats after Jasper loudly demanded she stop sleeping and tend to his food bowl, and probably Max’s, too. Otherwise, both cats would have accompanied us down the stairs to ensure we knew our priority destination.
I went over and greeted Kola, who was happily wagging her tail from inside her crate. Her crate is her safe space but she’s always happy to say, “Good morning,” check out the house, and then eat breakfast. I hadn’t even opened the crate door when my wife asked, “What does Jasper have?” She was staring down at the rug in front of the kitchen sink where Jasper was licking something.
I am the one who usually cleans up pet messes and investigates mysterious objects, be they stains, spiders, or things unidentifiable. I left Kola in her kennel since I didn’t know what we were dealing with. I walked over, hoping to not find poop or a dead creature. I bent down trying to see the object of Jasper’s fascination but his head was in the way.
“Hey, Buddy, can you move over a bit? I want to see what you found.” He graciously obliged by moving back enough so I could see. He seemed eager to show off his treasure. I stared at the 1 1/2-inch-long blob for a moment, making sure my eyes weren’t fooling me. I was shocked by what I saw.
“It’s a slug,” I said, disbelief clear in my voice.
“A what?” asked my wife.
“Yup. You heard me right. Jasper found a slug.”
“Is it alive?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, gathering up the rug so I could release the little guy outside where he belonged. On my way out the back door, I heard my wife start a conversation with Jasper.
“Did you make a new friend? Was that Slug Friend? You probably shouldn’t lick slugs but it's nice you found a friend.” Jasper must have looked concerned about what I was doing with his slug. “Mom’s just taking him outside where he can be safer. Slugs don’t belong inside the house.”
We later learned that slugs can carry lungworm, which can be fatal to cats. We definitely got lucky that Jasper’s curious ways didn’t end up badly. The main question remained, how did a slug get into our house? My best guess is that when I brought the rug inside from hanging on our porch for a couple of days due to a dishwasher leak, he must have caught a ride to the kitchen. If that’s what happened it’s amazing he was still alive. It had been at least 4 days, maybe more, since I’d brought in the rug. How he managed not to get stepped on or dehydrated, I will never know.
Jasper probably knows all about what happened but he’s not telling.
Behinds-the-Scenes:
As I told you last week, I am restructuring this newsletter and renaming it Captivating Creatures. I’m still working on some of the sections and how I want to present them, so for now, I will share with you what I have as it happens.
First up, a weekly comic. It will feature a friendly slug (perhaps Slug Friend!) as she makes her way in the world, coping with daily struggles and celebrating her triumphs.
Here’s the first one:
TITLE - COMING SOON!
Poll Results
Thank you to those who voted. The results from last week’s poll regarding the new logo are in…and the winner is:
This little guy is my favorite, too. :)
Favorite Fun Stuff:
Check out this short video of a Baron caterpillar. It blends so perfectly with the mango leaves it eats that it is about as close to invisible as one can get. I’ve watched it multiple times and am still astounded. Go, nature!
Confession Time:
I hear music right now and I have no idea where it’s coming from. *looking around, out the window, everywhere* Ha! Silly me - it’s the headphones I had on an hour ago then hung on their hook under my desk without turning off what I was listening to. HAHA!
Have a wonderful weekend. Be sure to take some time doing something just for you.
Peace,
Dakota Duncan
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If you want to find out about my graphic novel or children's chapter books, visit my website: dakotaduncan.com
Jasper is beautiful. Looks like a lovely being.