Day 60 - the dogs and cats

The dogs and cats here are much friendlier than in Phnom Penh and I met Shadow this evening, one of the female brindled dogs. She is soppy with a bark similar, though not as nice, to Jakes when he was being tickled. She is a member of the Projects Abroad pack. Shadow is possibly pregnant. There is at least one village pack too. Tom or Possibly Frank is the alpha and there are tow other males, one with a bushy tail called Albert. One of them was limping when we first arrived. They are all the same dingoish colour. They also all stink to high heaven. Even the dog lovers here complain about their smell!

The cats are wonderful. Gromit is the mum, she is tricolour and she has two kittens, one female tricolour and one black male. They are the sphinx faced sort of cat but not too bad. There was a third who died the day before we got here. The black male was also attacked by a dog and has a huge scar on his back. He is definitely a pinkle-purr son of Tattoo!  He also has that kinked tail that I've seen elsewhere in Cambodia. Someone earnestly told me it was a birth defect brought on by in-breeding. Phnom Penh is quite far away and the tail kink is a very specific thing. Unless it is just an hereditary characteristic, I actually think its possible its done deliberately to signify a male. But that is just my own theory.

I have noticed that dogs in Cambodia are fairly wise as regards getting out of the way of traffic. Noticed this particularly on the road to Kep, where there were many guard dogs crossing the road on doggy business as we belted along the good parts of the road. I just hope I don't see a dog or cat run over now!

Albert on guard.

The dogs are all cheerful and tolerant and have a lovely habit of escorting you along the sand when you go to swim.  I have also watched them patrolling the sand at low tide in the early morning and having themselves a bath. I think now that their stink is actually the smell of the sea permanently in their coats. They also play, doggishly typical, if someone wants too, with the empty rice bags for example, Frank jumps onto his back legs and bats at them. They are much happier than their city counterparts and certainly than Vietnamese dogs.