Cat extreme sports: Dog-baiting, part 2

Our dog, Rocky, is about a year younger than our cat, Star. Star has always been part of Rocky's "pack," and he comes to her defense without hesitation.

Star feels like she's part of the group, too. When we take Rocky for a walk, Star wants to tag along. She usually lags behind; being a cat, she's easily distracted, and takes side trips into people's yards to investigate things that catch her eye. After all, that leaf moving in the breeze might just be a mouse. You can't really be sure until you sneak up on it.

Her confidence in Rocky's protection is such that Star has invented a little game she likes to play with the dogs whose yards we pass. Lagging behind as usual, she waits for a dog to charge her in defense of its territory. In response, she lies down on the sidewalk and turns upside-down, as if she expects the dog to pet her.

The behavior seems incongruous. A large dog is bearing down on her, teeth bared and growling, and she lies down as if she's at home in someone else's favorite chair. Every time, Rocky appears in front of the other dog, growling and baring his teeth, just in time to save Star.