AUBURN — At least twice a day, Kristine Wilson strolls through her Auburn neighborhood, her dog, Skylar, straining at her leash to sniff newly empty trashcans or peek over a neighbor’s rock wall.
And Buddy Kat trots along beside them.
“This neighborhood is so great — everybody’s got dogs,” Wilson said. “Well, not everybody, but there’s a lot of people. So I see a lot of dog people and they’re always like, ‘Oh there’s Buddy Kat! He’s so funny.'”
An indoor/outdoor cat, Buddy Kat was long used to prowling around on his own. When Skylar joined the family nearly two years ago and Wilson started walking her, Buddy decided to play escort.
It’s become a regular thing.
“He immediately bonded with Skylar,” Wilson said. “He likes to come along, part of the crew.”
Buddy joins Skylar for her morning and evening walks about 80 percent of the time. They look like a dog and cat team: both black and white, both short-haired.
Sometimes, the family’s other cats, Lexi and Luna, will join the parade.
“I feel like the crazy cat lady,” Wilson said with a laugh. “‘Here comes the woman with all the cats following her.'”
Although Wilson keeps Skylar firmly on a leash, she’s never considered doing the same with the cats. She believes they’re streetwise enough to avoid the neighborhood cars.
During their walks, Buddy Kat often sticks to the sidewalk or strolls beside Wilson or Skylar.
On one recent walk, only Luna stayed home. As Wilson and Skylar strode through the neighborhood, Buddy Kat and Lexi trotted along beside like furry sentries. At one point, the cats stopped in a neighbor’s driveway, curiosity piqued by a barking dog they could hear but not see.
Lexi caught up with Wilson and Skylar later, calling to them in a soft meow, but Buddy stayed behind. When the family circled back, they found him sitting in a different neighbor’s driveway, watching for them to come around the corner and head for home.
As soon as they were within reach, Buddy affectionately rubbed his head against Skylar’s chest. Skylar bumped her nose to Buddy’s.
“Buddy Kat kisses her, gives her kisses. Sky loves that. She always puts her face right into him,” Wilson said.
The family headed home as a group, Buddy taking the lead.
“We joke around and say he thinks he’s a dog,” Wilson said.
Have an idea for Animal Tales? Call Lindsay Tice at 689-2854 or email her at ltice@sunjournal.com.
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