Construction of a motel and shopping center is taking place next to my house. A formerly heavily wooded fifteen acres has fallen prey to the bulldozers. Even though my heart is breaking over the loss of hugh trees, the greatest loss has been the sanctuary provided for raccoons, birds, squirrels, et al. They have all migrated to my tiny two acres which doesn't afford them the food or shelter they need. I'm feeding them regularly, but they present problems with my domestic animals.

Taking my little dogs outside for a brief walk requires my going first and checking for wildlife. The coons, which are supposed to be nocturnal, come out any time of day looking for a handout.

My one pet coon will have nothing to do with them and sneaks around when none of the others are in sight. Can't ask the animal wardens for help as I am over my four pet limit and would be fined.

This is a typical evening at my house: About 12:30 am I took the dogs out before going to bed. I took a flashlight, turned on the two spotlights and searched the area before letting them out in the fenced side yard. All was well. I held their paws while they made pee pee.

CeeCee, my ten pound, long-haired, orange cat goes out, too, and usually comes back in with the dogs. The dogs were in the door, safe and sound but Cee tarried to visit with Bonnie and Frances, the two lady cats who are porch residents.

The dogs were on the bed, I grabbed a bag of kitty treats to take Bonnie and Frances their nightly snack. As I stepped on the porch, Josephine, my pet coon, spotted me and ran to get a treat.

Suddenly, CeeCee arched his back to about three feet tall, hissed like a leaking gas main, and jumped on Josephine's back with all four feet extended. The poor coon turned tail and tried to escape those claws when out the door comes the two dogs, Charlie and Onyx. They were barking and yipping like they had a tiger by the tail. How they got the door open I do not know, but Onyx has opened other doors that were not securely latched.

You have never seen such a set to. Dogs are barking and growling, cat is hissing and screeching, coon is yelling help and I am screaming for fear all four are going to fall down the eight porch steps. It was one big blur of multi-colored fur. I knew if that coon rousted the troops, (there are fourteen besides Josephine) the dogs and cat were goners. Heaven smiled on me and the coon got away with the dogs in hot pursuit down the steps and to the fence which the coon scaled and reached safety. My knees turned to jelly and I collapsed on the aforementioned steps.

Cee Cee and the dogs all came and gave me kisses with Cee rubbing around my legs. He looked very smug. They were all so proud of protecting me and Charlie actually had a smile on his face!

Gee Mom, that was fun, can we do it again, he seemed to say, while I laughed like a ninny, before breaking into tears. Once in bed, CeeCee was so proud of his bravery, he chose the most coveted spot on the bed, the back of my knees, where he slept all night!

Clara resides in Texas, near San Antonio. She loves animals, both cats and dogs. Their antics give her many stories to share. She thinks a home is just a house without furbabies running about.