Girlie continued to make progress, but eventually she plateaued. She could ignore a walking cat, a sleeping cat, a hidden cat, and even a sprinting cat. But. Oh yeah, there was a big but. If the cat ran across the room, Girlie would perk up and watch — I got my hopes up — but if the cat ran by her and was in nipping distance, she'd try.

I don't like to see how often that happens. I am patient with every other step, but if she tries to nip, it's a no. The cat who failed her was Spicy Pie. He just bolted between her legs from behind and she wasn't having it. A little nip. A little tuft. No noise or drama. Truly. The cat hissed and got onto the couch and stared down. Girlie heard the "NO!" and stayed put. Spicy Pie never left the room, and Girlie never approached him. She might not have a prey drive, but her play drive is too rough. It's not worth the risk.

I don't like calling it "failing Kitty Boot Camp" because nothing about this if failing. It's more like she cannot specialize. Think of the excellent baker who takes some time off to study how to become a pastry chef. She works really hard, studies and practices, and makes passable desserts but not great ones. She could probably become good but never great and maybe this achievement is around the corner or a few years away. Doesn't matter. She hasn't the time to really nail that pastry chef achievement, so she returns to being the best baker ever. There are plenty of places that love and need a baker. She just won't go to the hotel or restaurant that requires a pastry chef.

Often times there is a cat app waiting for one of the Kitty Boot Campers, so telling them that their perfect hound has a slight but significant imperfection. If you feel like feeling sorry for someone, they're the ones. Maybe. They'll be fine, but I feel for the cat apps. It can take longer, and for that I do my own inner "aaawwwww". In time, they will their match and fall in love with a truly cat-safe greyound. But whatever you do, don't feel too sorry for the hounds. There is another app waiting.

Since Girlie was not a threat to TimTam or Spicy Pie (she always had the muzzle), she stayed with me until the next app was ready, and I dropped her off to be a foster-with-intent hound on my way to Lubbock. She will be in a home where she is the only hound. This is her dream. Sharing attention with foster brothers was so lame. Girlie was born to be the lady of the house. Sharing is offensive.

If the previous cat-applicants are ok, and Girlie is ok, and Girlie's new foster (almost new forever-human) is ok, and my cats are ok, and my hounds are ok, then who is not ok? ME!!

I'll be fine but the days between knowing the hound's leaving and a few weeks after it's gone is always tough. I expect this. Being sad to "lose" the foster is part of the deal. If I am sad, it meant she was really ready to go because she's so home-ready. If I were relieved, then I would wonder if she was perhaps not ready to be in a home as a prepped hound. To help me with all of this, I make sure I have folders for my fosters. I can digitally visit whenever I want.

Girlie's last photos with me and some of her at her new home (shared with permission).

blue greyhound curled on a couch
Girlie's last photo at my house. She's in her normal position: on the couch and where you want to sit

A blue greyhound sitting on a round rug with ears parallel to the floor
Girlie in her new home waiting patiently for her human to serve dinner

A blue greyhound lying outside in a sunbeam
Wasting no time, she found her new sunning spot immediately

blue greyhound sitting inside looking out of a window
Never fear, there will be no squirrels in this back yard now that Corporal Girlie is here. Clearly the human had been slack, but she's on it!