Dot the cop

"Hold it right there, and get your paws in the air!"

That's right, Dot the cop is here. Miss Dot, an eight-year-old cat, may be a little ball of black-and-white fur, and she may even be blind, but no one (human or feline) had better underestimate her. She has a laser-like focus, she's fast, and she has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to fighting or misbehaving. In Niblet's Nest, a room in Benton's House in Cat World, her meow is the law, and the law is enforced 24/7.

"No unrest in my nest!"

Along with Miss Dot, Niblet's Nest houses about 20 cats at any given time. That may sound like quite a lot, but there's no overcrowding. There is, in fact, ample space for everyone to live in harmony. Still, every so often a cat will try to assert dominance by challenging one of the others. But, before a fight can break out, Dot whips out her police badge and rushes to the scene.

Recently, when a cat named Smoochy decided to pick on another cat, Dilly, Dot raced through her caregiver's legs, rolled Smoochy over, and then chased him clear across the room. She even tried to knock some sense into him with a few little slaps. The message was clear: "There'll be no more of that!"

Smoochy won't be trying those antics again anytime soon. And the cats who have been around for a while have learned to avoid shenanigans too. Dot is a diva, and she simply will not put up with any discord in her room. No one knows exactly why, but she has a particular sensitivity to aggression, and an uncanny ability to hone in on potentially hostile situations.

The peace patrol

Part of Miss Dot's success in patrolling her room is due to the fact that she can see shadows, and that she has the perfect lookout point (a high cat tree near one of the windows). But don't misunderstand: Miss Dot isn't all hardcore patrol cat. She's got a soft side too. Caregiver Heather Henley says that Dot likes to know where she and the other caregivers are at all times. If Dot can't find them, she'll sit up on the cat tree and meow until someone comes to reassure her.

In reality, Miss Dot is not a cop but a protector - someone who makes sure that nobody else gets picked on or hurt. And, thanks to this amazing girl, the other residents of Niblet's Nest enjoy a low crime rate and a bully-free zone.

Find out more about Miss Dot or any of our other adoptable cats.

Photos by Molly Wald