When the Morning Walk Turns into a Run

"Cats," I said, when I saw two sets of eyes looking at me from the picnic table near the pond.

But they were kittens really. Just a pound each, and probably six weeks old.

They were also in danger.

I was on my morning dog walk around the pond with two cat-chasing Border collies and one loves-all-things-stinky Border collie.

I got the two cat chasers on leash as the kittens saw me for what I was: human.

They came running toward me.

The dogs strained on their leashes to get to the kittens.

Bad things could happen if they met.

So, I turned and ran toward home. Dragging two 40-pound Border collies behind me and with two kittens chasing me, I called for the third Border collie, Bubba, the lover of sheep poo, dead turtles and fish goo, who was meandering around the pond.

How fast and far must one go to outrun two kittens?

Turns out 100 yards will do it.

After securing the Border collies safely at home, I returned to the pond and found the owner of the kitties. The kittens are now safely home. They, being kittens, pay no attention to property boundaries and had wandered over to the pond when relatives camped there over the weekend, and did not know how to find their way home.