Although I have yet to own a dog myself, up until three years ago, I had two cats that had a similar impact on me as Blue did to Graves. Honestly, I have never been the kind to feel hugely attached to other animals. But Alex and Maggie carved out a place in my heart that no other animal can quite touch. We have had other cats since, but none that have come close to Maggie or Alex in terms of love.(In lieu of not having my pictures in Austin, I have attached a few images of cats that resemble mine: The black cat representing Maggie and the black and white cat representing Alex)
My cats brought absolutely no functional use to my household, other than killing a few bugs now and then. Much like Blue, they couldn’t herd cows or follow commands at the drop of a hat. But I am convinced they could love the way Blue did – why else would they leap into my lap as soon as I came home and wrap their paws around my neck?
Although cats are certainly different creatures than dogs, there seemed to be a certain independence in Blue that reminded me of Alex and Maggie instantly. Often, as humans, we seem to believe that our pets belong to us, especially in regards to how domesticated they have become. But the truth is – they never quite do. I am sure that none of my pets has ever needed me in the same way I needed them. Although it made me instantly sad to learn that Blue ran away by the story’s end, there is something that is so fitting about this ending to me. It shows how little Blue needed Graves and yet how greatly Graves came to need him.
What seems most unique about Blue throughout the story is that although he regularly demonstrates his love for Graves, “leaping five and six feet straight up in the air in pure and utter celebration”(133) when he returns from a trip, he remains autonomous throughout the story. It seems significant that the author constantly reminds the reader of all of Blue’s unique traits, such as his “clowning”(121) around when in trouble and the fact that he may never have been fit to be one of those “’Good’ country dogs”(126). Although it is Blue who croons “softly wolflike” and “lonely”(133) when Graves is away, it is Graves who is left overwhelmed by a pervading emptiness when Blue disappears.
Unlike Blue, my cat, Maggie, never ran away. She had been suffering with a kidney disease for four years before she finally passed on. I can still remember the day I came home from school and couldn’t find her black tail hanging over the edge of the refrigerator. It is an emptiness that no matter how many cats may follow, I am positive, will never be filled. When Graves remarks that “...dogs are nothing but dogs and I know it better than most, and all this was for a queer and nervous crossbreed that couldn’t even herd stock right”(135), he ironically makes it apparent that dogs are never just dogs and, for that matter, pets are never just pets—they are our companions and our models of unconditional love. Our need for them is not physical -- it's emotional.
Other than the ending, I love that the author of this short story chose to entitle this work “Blue and Some Other Dogs.” The truth is, as many pets as I have had, there are only two that I can say truly touched my heart. If I had written a short story similar to his, I would have to call it “Maggie, Alex, and Some Other Cats.” I agree with Catherine Hagar’s message in her blog that Graves seems reluctant to love another animal again. And, much like her, I don’t believe it’s foolishness that lets us care for animals – it’s our need for companionship and compassion. Yet, I can also see that the love I have for my first two cats, Maggie and Alex, can never be touched. I know I am more than capable of loving another animal, but am somewhat reluctant to – at least as deeply as I once did. Deep down, there is a fear that the emptiness Maggie left behind will only grow bigger with each loss.
