Cat and dog interactions are a strange thing. I suspect that in the wild, canines and felines would never be caught fraternizing in the same area of the tundra or wilderness. It just isn’t done.
But when you live with four dogs and two cats you get to see a lot of cross-species communication. We’re not exactly sure what Cami, the samoyed mix is trying to do or say with Troi the tubby tabby, but I doubt it’s good. As a dog with a lot of samoyed in her, Cami has perfected what samoyed owners refer to as the "bossy nose poke."
In fact, mere moments ago, Cami came over to my chair, sat down purposefully, bestowed a particularly adorable smile upon me, and poked my arm. This sequence of events generally means, "Look! I’m cute! It’s after 6; go feed me now." Or something along those lines. As a human pokee, I either acquiesce to her demanding nature, or continue writing. (One would note I’m still typing and Cami is now lying on the floor with her back to me.)
I often wonder what Cami is trying to communicate to Troi when she gives her a bossy nose poke. I’m not sure Troi gets it either. As a bold, small cat who has been around dogs almost all her life, Troi has no fear of canines. She walks between their feet, rubs up on their legs, plays with their tails, and sometimes even curls up and sleeps with them.
Even with all that canine contact, Troi seems somewhat bemused by Cami’s poking behavior. Does it mean: 1) Cami wants to play? 2) Cami wants Troi to move over? 3) Cami thinks Troi is a small, tasty snack food? It’s really hard to say.
Even though Troi ignores and doesn’t seem bothered by nose pokes, to be on the safe side, we never let Cami and Troi stay alone in the same part of the house when we’re not around. Option 3 is just not something I want to deal with.