Canned Hunting

Fella has lived with us for going on 6 years. Raised on a farm with dogs, we was a healthy young tom when he moved into the city. He quickly adapted to the urban environment. Rabbits and chipmunks supplemented his diet. Ah yes, his diet. Not only would he get food from us, he was able to fool plenty of kind-hearted folks who gave him more food. In fact, two summers ago neighbors one street over posted on Craigslist trying to find the family who was "missing an obviously healthy cat." Then he bolted from their captivity and a few weeks later they passed by the house seeing him on the steps. Most of the 'hood is hip to his antics now and everyone knows his family.

The last couple of weeks have brought a change in his routine. Gone are the endless hours roaming the 'hood hunting and getting treats. the sub-freezing temperatures and snow aren't to his liking so he does what comes natural to a cat, hours and hours of sleeping.

The other day I was sitting downstairs next to the magazine rack when I hear the scurrying of a rodent in the ceiling. There was a cheeky mouse trying to take up residence in a house with 4 cats? Not for long once they get the scent. Sure enough, the next few days Merlin, Mavic and Aries started camping out in the kitchen watching the corners from which a mouse might be brave enough to appear.

Last night I was sitting at the dining room table surfing Al's Interweb with Fella sleeping on a chair across from me. Suddenly there was a a minor commotion and a "thump" which I assumed was Aries and Mavic throwing down again.

I stood to see what was going on and saw Fella coming out from behind the boots by the door. He looked just like this...
Take a good look at the expression in his eye. He sat there for a couple of minutes with a low growl which said "it's mine, get your own."

A few seconds later it stop twitching and he dropped it as if to size it up. Notice the owie above his right eye. That's most like from Elliot, another former tom who lives 5 doors down.



A moment later he took it by the head which was followed by "crunch, crunch, crunch, sluuuuurp!"

Then he hopped back on the chair and continued with his nap.