Tum & Tin: Tum Guards Tin's Nap Time

A dog who takes his job as cat guardian very seriously

Grooming day was Tin's favorite. Not her own grooming — she handled that herself, thank you very much — but Tum's. She'd wait until he was settled, then begin her inspection. Behind the ears. Between the toes. The spot on his chest where food always got stuck.

Tum would lie perfectly still, eyes half-closed in bliss, while a cat one-tenth his size methodically cleaned every inch she could reach. Sometimes she'd bite a little too hard and he'd flinch, but he never moved away.

After all, when someone loves you enough to clean behind your ears, you don't complain about technique.