My friend, Adele, at Moment After Moment, has a cat named Nimrod. Now, Nimrod is known as a mighty hunter, but I believe that we have some competition for his crown, in our cat, Edward Scissorhands.
Ed has had a tough year. Fifteen months ago he underwent radiation treatment for a thyroid problem. It took him a while to get back to his usual cantankerous self. At one of his regular checkups following the radiation treatment, the vet said that she wanted him to go on the Science Diet or Iams products. She felt he would be healthier. So, we tried it.
Shortly after Christmas, I made an appointment for Ed to see the vet. I felt that he was doing so poorly that he might not make it through the winter. I mentioned that he hated the food we were pushing, and she said that at this point we should give him whatever he wanted. And we did.
Ed spent the entire month of January indoors. He is usually an indoor-outdoor cat, demanding that Elegante Mother rush to the door to let him out as he demands. I was VERY concerned at this change of behavior. But, our January was awful. We had vicious cold temperatures for three weeks running. We'd open the door for Ed and he'd stand there, shake his paw as if to say "It's too damned cold out there," and walk back into the living room.
In February he started going outside again. On the really warm days we had in early spring, he'd be away all day, leading Elegante Mother to start talking about his demise around four o'clock. He'd show up, looking satisfied at having worried her, covered with dust, and DEMAND his dinner.
Now we come to this last week. Ed has been in his element. While I was outside working on the gardens, I'd see him silently vulch over the opening to the chipmunks dens. He has all the openings around the house and in the herb garden and sidewalk garden mentally staked out.
I walked into the garage after planting all afternoon to find part of his prey left where I would be sure to see what a great hunter he is. It's dreadful to come across the back half of a bunny lying on your steps. I hollered at him, and said that he couldn't bring it inside! Dear Husband had to bury the remains for me.
Now, you know that DH is off sailing this weekend. Luckily his Second Son is home. I opened the door on Saturday night to let the cat in, and the back half of a chipmunk was displayed on the sidewalk, looking for all the world as though it was trying to run away.....
Sunday evening, he brought another bunny, not a baby, but not full grown. I opened the door to let Ed in, and realized he had prey again, and shut the door in his face. SS!!! YOU HAVE TO DO CLEAN-UP DUTY AGAIN!! SS has taken to calling Ed the "Zombie Cat." Apparently, Ed has a taste for brains. EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!
I hope we get past this sharing of prey, soon! Do we win the hunting crown for this week, Adele, or is Nimrod still the mightiest hunter???
Comments (3)
Finally able to access your site again Buffy.
It sounds as if Edward Scissorhands is a champion to match Nimrod the Mighty Hunter (grin). Just be glad though that you only have dead bodies to deal with. The odd corpse isn't too bad to deal with - all you need is a dustpan and brush, and a bin to put the remains. But think how you would find things if your Ed started to follow Nim's example and to bring live prey into the house and let them go. John isn't madly keen on mice and I'm the one who ends up chasing them all around the house. My hairdresser used to have chipmonks as pets and I understand that they are nocturnal animals, getting more active after dark. I can just imagine you chasing them around your house after dark!
I'm so glad that Edward has recovered so well and is doing so well. My two have completely different daily routines depending on the weather and temperature outside. It sounds as if your Ed is doing the same.
I was interested in what you said about Ed having a taste for brains. Nim's sister Pickle may be portly and more than a bit lazy but she is happy to chase and hunt the live creatures Nimrod brings indoors and lets go. Many a morning I have discovered half a corps or a mouse or other rodent, ususally under the dining table. I say half a corpse because she starts at the nose and eats all of the first half of the body, leaving the remains from the waist to the tail. Presumably usual behaviour for a predator like cats like your Ed and my Nimrod.
Posted by Adele | May 31, 2007 9:32 AM
Posted on May 31, 2007 09:32
1. Ed brought a live mouse up from the basement and dropped him in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. YUCK! Luckily, Defer, our dog, dispatched the mouse to Mousie Heaven. It was awful to watch, but better than having the mouse taking up residence on the first floor.
2. Our chipmunks don't have the sense to be nocturnal. We have them all through the day, and I'd be very happy to box them up and send them off. They make burrows in my gardens!
3. I'm relieved to hear that cats have the sense to change their routines when weather requires. I was concerned for Ed, and thought the major change in behavior meant he wouldn't be with us a lot longer.
4. OH, EWWWWWWWWWW!!! Ed does that very same thing. He left just the back half of the first bunny and the chipmunk. The poor little chippie rear was posed as if it was trying to run away, when the cat tired of his meal. YUCK! I thought that was bad, but just eating the brains was even worse. I'm prepared to be strong about a lot of things, but since there are guys in this house, THEY can do the burial duty!
Posted by Buffy | June 1, 2007 10:15 AM
Posted on June 1, 2007 10:15
Grin. What we go through for our pets, eh!
Fortunately chipmonks aren't native here and it's just mice, shrews, the odd rat and on one occasion a grey squirrel - it took Nimrod about 10 years to learn how to catch squirrels. John certainly looked on him with great favour that day.
I assume it's something to do with cats' natural instincts that lets them know just how much of a prey's body to eat. Doesn't make it nice for us to clear up after them though.
Posted by Adele | June 1, 2007 12:42 PM
Posted on June 1, 2007 12:42