Bless his heart, Bob. Good man! When we lived back in CT, we had a big old rundown Victorian house with a wonderful front porch with about ten steps leading down to the grass. I would first put our old Shepherd/Dobie mix, Montee, out on his rope tied to the apple tree it was a long rope); he would go down the stairs and off to the yard; then, leaving the door open, I would go out on the porch, call the eight cats to go "walkies" and they would all come rushing out. Some would go down on the grass, some would sit on the porch, some went to the flower patch to roll in the dirt. I herded them like a cowboy, talking to them all of the time, telling the "lightfooted" ones to get back, praising them as they stayed close by. They were really good and enjoyed their time out. When I got ready to go back in, I'd say, "Okay, INSIDE" and clap my hands. The dog would come running over and help me herd them up the stairs, through the door. They were so well trained to stay in the front yard, that one day, when Rog and I had been gone for about an hour and a half for lunch, we came back to find the hard-to-keep-shut door wide open, Montee in the doorway looking for us with the cats ranged round him. A couple were on the porch but they ran inside as soon as they saw us. I was so grateful they were all okay and stayed!

Banjer, Montee was in dog heaven before his time when my youngest daughter brought home a garbage bag full of old tennis balls from the high school athletic dept.! We still have a few of them left and that was 3-4 years ago. They outlasted him. He was pretty smart, too. He used to get the long rope wound around the apple tree int hat yard in CT. He was very mouthy & would tell the whole neighbourhood what he thought of it. I would go out on the porch, tell him to "go round" and he would cuss up a bluestreak. I fI stamped my foot & insisted, he would toss his head, cuss some more, then lope around the tree, in the right direction, until he was unwound enough to come back up on the porch to be let in. We rented and didn't have a fence. He was a people dog and hated being out alone, so this routine entertained the nieghbours on a daily basis. It really was a game that he and I both enjoyed immensely. We didn't have near the funt he apst few years where he just had a great big backyard, big high board fence and no neighbours to snoop at or entertain. But, he never did stop cussing.

'Spaw, sounds like Luff was a really neat cat. I love Siamese, esp. when they talk. I have a chocolate point and a snowshoe. My brother has a beautiful tortie point. I can easily understand crying over such a special one. My Trystan, who is a good old tabby, does that under the covers routine wiht me, but he waits until I've settled down & fallen asleep. It take sme awhile to get comfortable and if he comes in too soon, he gets disgusted with my shifting and leaves in a huff. I lvoe waking up int hemiddle of the night to his soft fur and rumbling chest, though, when he finally comes back.

kat