Cats and Dogs and Mini Coopers
The night before last I was working late here at the warehouse. Had the back receiving door open. A stray dog wondered in and left abruptly after he saw me. Looked like a Lab mix.
About 15 mins later I shut the place up and went to the “Coopster” (what I call my Mini Cooper) where I came across the dog and another similar looking dog moving about the parking lot excited about something. They looked a little mangy.
I yelled at them to go away and they took off. The thought crossed my mind that I hadn’t seen the cat in a bit. He sometimes goes outside at night but stays close to the building.
I started to drive away and noticed something black on the ground where the car was parked. Went back and checked it out.
It was the front right tire molding. The dogs had torn it off and chewed the molding on both sides! 3 pieces need to be replaced. Plus there’s a deep tooth mark in the bumper that will have to be repaired.
I had no idea why they would attack my car. Maybe Mini Coopers taste like steak?!?
So I threw the piece in the car and proceeded home at my usual high speed. One of these days I’ll probably plow into a deer so I really should slow down but it’s a blast going fast in my little Coopster! Drives like a big go-cart.
I arrive home and start unloading some things. I hear a faint “meow”. I think it’s a cat in the neighbor’s yard. I hear it a couple more times. Sounds familiar…
I go get Pamela and the boys to show them the damage.
I hear the meow again. I look at Pamela and we’re both thinking the same thing. We know this because we’ve been together for over 23 years… ha ha
I pop the engine hood and lo and behold there is Joey the kitten tucked tightly next to the engine where the headlight is.
He barely had room to crawl up through the engine to escape the dog’s teeth. If I had not left when I did there’s no telling how much damage those hungry mutts would have done and surely I would have shot them with my .22!
It took a good 10 mins to get him purring and relaxed but he’s fine and seems to have suffered no ill effects although he probably has some pretty interesting dreams now. Sometimes when he’s sleeping I hear him making engine noises that I swear sound like the Coopster! Maybe he ENJOYED the car ride. Perhaps that was nothing compared to the dogs which to you and I would have been like two grizzly bears trying to get into our house.
He must have had quite a fright between the dogs and driving next to a Mini Cooper engine with me shifting through 5 gears and going fast (I’d rather not say just how fast).
The car didn’t smell like steak, it smelled like CAT which is probably far more attractive to a dog.
I sure hope the damaged pieces don’t cost too much. 
Just another day in my life which is NEVER boring to say the least!