Monday 11 April 2011

Cat burglar

Drama in the night. It seemed sensible to use disturbed sleep patterns to solve the problem of the feline intruder, who's been coming in through the flap to eat the food that's always there for my two old skinny cats. I set the flap for in only and waited. When I heard it rattle sometime in the stilly watches, I leapt out of bed and into the laundry, flicking on the light and shocking the young, fit cat who'd popped in for a snack of expensive, nourishing, old-cat biscuits.

There was a bit of a battle that involved fear on his part and rather a lot of blood and some pain on mine, but I got him bundled into the wire cat basket and took him out into the dark where I got huge satisfaction from turning the hose on him until he was completely drenched and had stopped fighting it, slumped dejectedly on the floor. Then I let him out and he was off like a shot, hopefully home to dive straight into his owner's bed. It's certain that he won't be coming round here again, next time he's feeling peckish.

So, all sorted now? Alas, no. This cat was grey, while the one I saw sneaking out of the catflap the other day was black and white...
Normally, I'm kind to animals, and it's hard when I travel to keep my distance from those I see. Like the cat peacefully basking in the last rays of the sun at the Grand Bassin temple to Shiva in Mauritius, or this dog watching life go by from a doorstep up the hill in Cusco. They look appealing and I'd like to be friendly to them, but have to remember about rabies. Not that the citizens of Santiago in Chile seem bothered by that danger: there are dogs everywhere in that city, and apparently people have their favourite strays, which they feed and pet in the parks and squares. Certainly (and happily), I never saw one as skinny as the cat on the sofa beside me right now.

2 comments:

the queen said...

It is so refreshing to get a perspective from a non-US native. I don't think any of us would ever admit in print to hosing down a cat. Good for you!

TravelSkite said...

If I get sued or merely vilified, I'll let you know. I'm more worried about the chicken gassing, to be honest.

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