Romeo thinks he is a cat

I need to tell someone about Romeo because my husband is tired of hearing it. Romeo is a mixed breed girl, 4 and a half years old, and she has decided that the windowsill in our living room is her private office. She sits there every afternoon with her back to the room, looking down at the street like she is a manager checking on workers.

The funny part is how she sits. Front legs crossed, tail wrapped around, and she stays absolutely still for an hour. Last week the neighbour's cat came to the balcony and they stared at each other through the glass for maybe ten minutes. Romeo did not even blink. Then the cat walked away and Romeo went back to sleep like nothing happened.

She also washes herself after every meal. Lick, lick, lick, then she turns around and checks if we are watching. If we are watching she does it again, slower. I am not joking. Our vet laughed when I told her about it and said some dogs just copy the cats they live with.

But she is not a cat. She hates the litter box idea of course, and she loves the outdoors more than any cat I know. Every walk in the Khlong San park she greets the joggers, the old ladies with the umbrellas, the food stall men. Everyone knows Romeo. She is very famous.

Sometimes at night she jumps on the bed and makes this little chirp sound, like a bird. My husband says she is trying to be a kitten again. I say she is just being Romeo. We both agree she is the weirdest, sweetest dog we ever had.

One more thing. When I come home late she waits on the windowsill and she does not come down until she sees my car. Then she runs to the door like a crazy dog again. So maybe she is a dog after all.