Dogs, Cats and Summer Rain

 Dogs, Cats and Summer Rain

Summer Rain

In England we have an expression for a heavy downpour, ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’. In Greece they say, ‘It’s raining chairs’.

Greece has just had a lot of rain, which, as often happens, just missed our island. A good downpour would have cleaned the place up but we had just a light sprinkling, just enough to make the island smell of cat piss.



A cute, but very thin, stray



Some things have changed in Greece but the stray cats and dogs are still around. Some years we seem to have an abundance of cats other years its packs of stray dogs.

Sometimes I think I should not wrap up my rubbish so that they can get a feed more easily

Dogs

Today when Vetta came for morning coffee she came under an umbrella. Lemnos is surrounded by water so the temperature is equalized giving the island a temperate in spring and autumn. Maria had been cleaning the house and so she also joined us. The discussion was about the cleaning program that Maria was working out, to accommodate various other summer arrivals in the houses around us. And it was also about dogs, as Maria tried to interest Takis in having a dog. Vigourously saying we did not want a dog we found out that it was Anestis who had given way to the boys importuning and allowed them to keep a dog. He had even built a kennel for it after Maria banned it from the house. But, now the boys were getting tired of feeding it, looking after it had become her job. 



A lot of homes, and farms, have dogs

‘Now you want to pass it on to me!’ Takis, with many gestures berated her. ‘I have enough trouble with our neighbour’s dogs.’

 

Takis was not particularly impressed by the idea having been woken at two that morning by the barking of one of our neighbour’s dogs. And the day before we had been woken by a pack of dogs attacking a cat!



End of August, the hoards have left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



One week the beaches are full, the next they are empty

The problem is that at this time of year the holidaymakers leave. They have come with their cars, children and dogs. The dog was probably a Christmas or birthday present of a ‘cute little puppy’, but now that puppy had grown up and is an annoying, untrained, yapping dog. And there are some folks that think the best thing to do is to leave it behind on the island when they drive onto the ferry to return home.



This is NOT a lost dog. It belongs to the pharmacist!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



This one too belongs to someone. Lets hope they keep looking after it.



Regularly, at the end of August the island has a pack of unwanted dogs. This morning when I went for my usual walk I passed seven, all by now looking scruffy, hungry, and still hopefully looking for their owners!

Lost dogs tend to try and belong to you!

Another island ‘dog’ stories include those about a huge growth in the number of pet dogs. Takis and I put this down to a new TV program about keeping pets, in particular dogs. It is a program put on in Australia too, as it is compared by an Australian vet, by the name of Dr. Harry. Anyhow at about the time this program was aired suddenly it was extremely fashionable to walk your dog on a lead. Never mind if when you got home you let it run freely around the streets! This fashion continues, and to cater for dog needs there is now a vetinery shop, with a waiting room, near our house.

Cats

Cats are endemic in Greece and jump out of dustbins, hide under cars, and have at least two litters a year. They are cute. They feature on Greek calendars. But they are strays. One year when we returned the usual stray cats were not around the garden, not even around rubbish bins. Another year they appeared to have disappeared over winter.  We heard from our neighbour Vetta that the packs of dogs that winter had even been attacking the young deer that live up on the Castro Mount. I think the council must have finally rounded them up.



A cute, fat cat



 

 

 

 



And another well cared for cat

This year so far the balance between cats and dogs has been maintained but the sounds of that dog/cat fight last night does not bode well for the island cats this winter.

And Other Beasties

The mice have returned. The usually try to set up home in the house just before we leave as the weather gets cooler. But this year they started appearing in mid-summer.

Takis and I began to fight back with our snap traps, but unfortunately we had visitors that objected. These were very sensitive souls who have not lived long in old houses, nor in the countryside. So the first two caught in a box were carefully lifted out and carried out into a nearby field. Now, whether those two came back or it was an earlier family, now grown, or more have come to join their cousins I’m not sure, but more have arrived!

I too don’t take pleasure in getting rid of them. I too have to screw up my courage to kill snails or mice but it has to be done if you want a clean house, or a lush green garden.



I have hoards in my garden in spring. I can collect a bucketful!



 

 

 



And even snails are 'cute'

And I know mice have cute little faces, cuter than cockroaches, but they have no place within a house. On the internet I found out that a family of 6 can become 60 in a month and that babies are fertile and begin their own families in 4 weeks. So before long, in an old house like ours, you find them in the attic, under the stairs, and behind the skirting. They love these dark warm places.

So far we have caught four babies in a box, and four adults in snap traps, sinc and disposed of them all. Though last night I could hear more scratching up in the attic above my bed! Oh the joys of country living!