Dogs Killing Cats

Well, today I lost my fourth cat to a foster dog. It's probably a bad time to be writing this, because I'm very angry. I created an art piece last time, entitled "Who Died and Left YOU Boss?" about my foster Spotty, click the title to take you to it. That time they killed Purrsia, who is the sister of Exhia.

Exhia died today. She was featured in another art piece called "The Dog Doesn't Agree", because she had such a 'crush' on our Akita and used to knead in her fur with her claws and try to suckle at her belly. The dog didn't like it, but never tried to hurt her...

I wish I knew how to handle this. I just don't want to foster anymore, because I can't handle them killing my cats. It's not fair to the cats...they are NOT LESS than the dogs, but it sure seems like they are. Cats have always been my soul...I relate to cats, they are independent, fierce, loving when they want to be. But when a dog is set on killing one, if there is no escape route, they don't have a chance.

It must have happened between 8:00 a.m. when Kim was out cleaning up the yard, and 11:00 a.m., when I got home from some errands. She shut Spotty and the new rottie Atlas out in the yard for awhile with Beauty. Big mistake. Spotty is the one who helped kill Purrsia, and all three of these dogs are bad with cats. Exhia probably tried to come in the doggie door, but it was closed and they trapped her.

I feel like it is my job to protect them, and I failed again. When I was a child, my dad killed all of our cats, one of which was a striped tabby like Exhia...she was my cat, named Streaker. Streaker was very shy, and really only loved me, because I spent a lot of time out in the barn with her. But because the cats all sat outside the door to the house wanting to get in, and my mom didn't want them in, my dad killed them all. I think since that time, I'm very protective of my cats (and my kids!).

But how do I stop fostering? As the leader of the org, I feel it's my duty to set a good example. Still, I've done it for four years...and have paid a heavy price for it. Maybe it's time to stop fostering until we get the funding to build our training center, and in the training center there will be no cats, for their own protection...I don't feel it's fair to me, my family, or the cats that we have to go through this pain over and over again.