The porch cats did their Keystone Kats routine underfoot when we returned from the Brazos Writers meeting. Usually I think it's funny as they race about crashing into each other and the porch furniture, but tonight I glared at them and snarled. It was eleven P.M. and I had to sub for a teacher the next morning. I wanted my bed, they wanted fresh cat crunchies, not the stale crumbles in their dishes.
Soooo... I said," Why don't you supplement your food yourselves? Shouldn' t somebody teach the rest of you to hunt?" The two momma cats must have taken the advice to heart. Especially after I closed the front door.
On my way to their food dishes this morning, I saw something like a hairball atop a storage box, except it wasn't exactly like that. I leaned over for a closer look. Hmmm. Soggy,furry, disheveled looking....
I sucked in a gust of air and jerked my hand back. I identified dainty pink feet and a naked tail just before I poked at it. Three-quarters of a mouse, proof that the hunting lessons had begun. The cats "Keystoned" their way to the food dishes and chowed down eagerly. Who needs rodents when you have crunchers!
I praised their mouse-catching, in case the cats could hear me over the crunching. I left it in place though; maybe they'll snack on it later. Besides, varmint disposal is a manly job. Art can make much of them again when he does the rodent removal. I don't want to cheat the cats from their due.
I am put in mind of the time Tom and Jan's tomcat dragged a live rabbit up to the sliding glass door. Tom released the rabbit which hit the deck running and disappeared over the edge.
ReplyDeleteThe house was afew hunrded yards from the Gulf and was built on stilts to avoid flooding. The rabbit had a 20 foot plunge but hit the ground running. Tom said it was still going strong when it hit the property line.
Who said cats were the only ones to do this kind of stuff? This story reminds me of when Loki first came to live with us. I was "gifted" with several dead lizards.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Hang
Pets can't go to Wal-Mart to buy gifts, so they do what they can. We got a snake this week. We are loved!
ReplyDelete