Our new furry neighbour... with a right hook!

For a couple of months now, a tabby cat has been living in the stairway of our block of flats.

It (I really have not checked for the gender) does not seem to belong to anyone, but is happy to nap quietly on people's doormats or on the stairs themselves. Luckily, nobody has hurt the cat and there are always two small containers full of food and water at the entrance downstairs. The cat itself is very friendly and often purrs when I pet it.

If you were wondering how Aschiuta has been getting along with our new furry friend, I will begin by telling you that we often go to Brasov, the city where my mother-in-law lives. Aschiuta always goes with us, since she is always welcome there. But my mother-in-law also has two cats, both quite shy. And, according to my experience, shy cats can be aggressive when scared, so we keep the cats and pooch in separate rooms at all times to avoid any conflicts.

Aschiuta has also had a few "close encounters" with a couple of cats, some of which have left her with a small scratch on her nose. But of course, she does not learn and is always curious about these smaller creatures that have ears similar to hers (but not of the same magnitude).

Our new tabby neighbour is no exception and Aschiuta almost always tries to catch a sniff of the cat.

The first meeting was as expected, poochie poked her nose into the kittie's business and the kitty gave her the right hook (the boxing kind). I decided that these two needed to make friends, so I always let Aschiuta get carefully closer, so as not to scare the cat. Gradually, they got used to each other, to the point where they both lean in to catch a sniff of each other, their noses almost touching. And then Aschiuta hops up in a dance of glee and the kitty readies the right hook, which is where I have to drag the crazy pooch away before she gets hurt.

Tonight I tried to get a photo, but none of them was interested in posing for me, no matter how nicely I asked them. As soon as I put the phone away, they get close for one of their sniffs. Figures... they are only being cute when they are not being photographed. But I was stubborn, so I managed to get one almost cute shot of them. Almost. Maybe next time...

Saying hello, like good little neighbours