[Pastachef]

It was a lazy summer afternoon, and my cat Prissy and I were in the backyard contentedly lying in the sun. Suddenly a large Mockingbird swooped down out of the sky and bumped into my cat, then flew to an overhead branch to screech in protest of the cat's presence. Prissy fled, seeking solace beneath the tablecloth that covered the picnic table. I didn't think too much of it until Prissy finally ventured out, only to be attacked again! This time she ran into the Snowball bush and hid. I have to admit that she made a beautiful picture with her furry face peering out from the brilliant blue flowers. But I was mad now. My poor cat shouldn't have to hide out in her own yard, especially from a bird. I ran inside and got my grandson's water gun. The bird simply dodged the water and flew from branch to branch, determined to get rid of Prissy. I took Prissy inside. Later in the day she and I were sitting on the front porch swing when the bird found us and attacked again. In seconds my husband, disturbed by the ruckus, burst through the front door Rambo style, with an even bigger water gun. This did not impress the bird or persuade it to leave, but it gave me a good laugh. The bird attacks went on for about two weeks. I didn't know what to do. I love birds, but I was getting some pretty mean thoughts about this one. Yesterday evening I happened to notice that it was quiet again on the front porch. No bird. I glanced across the street and noticed a smaller version of the Mockingbird sitting on a fence, spreading and closing it's wings as if exercising. I glanced around and saw the parent birds, calm and sweet as we've come to know birds to be. I smiled and realized that I'd experienced one of Nature's most beautiful moments...and realized the love and dedication that goes along with parenting

[cape chef]

Nice story pastachef!!
cc

What a nice story! Thanks for posting! I can relate to rambo husband.... mine is after all the squirrels in our yard... he even wants to set up traps high in the trees... you know this will end in a trip to the emergency room.... I will just sit and watch, holding the phone with "91" dialed!! They are too funny!!! Glad to fine a fellow cat lover!

[cape chef]

That's too funny onesockchef!!!

I am the same way about those little varments LOL

cc

[Pastachef]

I know squirrels are supposed to be bad little varmints, but I love them. I rescued one from inside the ceiling at the sorority house using a live trap. I didn't have the nerve to take the trap out of the ceiling. The maintenance man did that, because this critter had made it clear that if it could get to me I was in big trouble I did feed it water through a straw and some peanuts though. When we let it out in the back its sibling ran up, sniffed it all over, and then both squirrels leapt for joy! I hope your husband doesn't get hurt, Onesockchef. I'm glad you all liked my story.

[ June 24, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]

[Papa]

Dear PastaChef:

That was a great story!

I feed all these little creatures all winter so when summer comes they expect the same. I get upset when they damage my garden but I know that I would miss them if I found out one day thay they were no longer part of my garden.

[Pastachef]

Thank you, Papa. Critters and little creatures are a big weakness of mine. I guess we have to take the bad with the good

[Papa]

You are right PastaChef!

The only animal that I cannot stand in my garden is cats! I have nothing against cats as a species, but they wreak havoc in my garden and cause destruction as I will explain.

Cats kill all the wild animals and birds that make my garden their home. I read in a recent report that in the United Kingdom, which is much smaller than the US, 40,000,000 wild animals and birds fall prey to domesticated cats every year! I do not understand why people leave their cats free to roam in other people's gardens. I don't leave my pet Scottie in other people's gardens. Three months ago, my wife and I were watching our favorite chipmunk eat out of a special feeder that we had built for him/her. Suddenly, my neighbor's cat came stealthily from the brush, lunged at the chipmunk, grabbed it in its mouth and ended the little guy's life right in front of us while were standing aghast from inside the house looking out at this scene through a closed window. It took me weeks to get over the shock! I had not realized how much that little creature whom we had come to know for months had actually meant to me!

When I complained to my neighbor about it, she responded by asking me if I had paid any money for the chipmunk! I answered her by sharing with her my feelings for "all creatures, great and small" as the book title was selected by its author James Herriot in Britain. I have great affection and respect for all living things and I understand the laws of nature, except for destruction of a life when it will not serve to feed an animal, but instead will be used as a toy.

It is my one desire that domesticated cats be restrained within the realm of the residence of their loved ones who selected them. Those of us who are their neighbors have established our realm which may contain animal or vegetable life that is incompatible with these cats. Maybe, someday ... .

[Pastachef]

Bravo, Papa! You are right! I hate the hunting instinct in cats, but I love cats. They have to be restrained to a great degree, or watched closely by the owner. Besides, if you love your cat it is safer to keep it in conditions where it can be closely watched.
Hello again Papa. I had company come in while I was trying to respond to your post, so I'm just getting back to it. I feel so bad for you and your wife in the death of your little chipmunk friend. How devastating! And it was so sad that your neighbor had such an uncaring attitude about a helpless living creature. Thank God for the caring people in the world like you and your wife.

[ June 24, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]

I love my cat... she is totally scared of everything and her biggest catch in all of her 13 years with me has been moths! Until the other day when I saw her running across our yard, back from the neighbors, with red feathers sticking out of her mouth... I couldn't believe it... she caught a robin!!! After all these years that was a pretty big catch, and although I love birds, I went to meet the cat at the back door knowing she would be proud of her catch... when she reached the back patio I opened the door, and she dropped at my feet a red feather duster, which had been stored in my neighbors open garage!!!!! At least I know my neighborhood is safe from those feather dusters

[Pastachef]

Your cat sounds like Prissy, Onesock chef She's afraid of everything too. That was a really cute story!

[Papa]

Thank you Pasta Chef for your warm and kind words!

Your cat sounds like a lot of fun OneSockChef! I would not mind having my feather duster eaten by a cat! I don't even mind the scratches on my car! The pleasure and affection with which these animals provide us is so much bigger than any of their little booboos!

[Isa]

I never understood why people but bell on cat's collar. Always thought it was the most annoying thing. Until I got a cat. Boula, in her youth, was quite a hunter. At least once a week she would bring me an offering. Most of the time the bird was still alive. I would release it. Nothing upset her more.


Once she caught a big bird. Too big for her mouth. It was so funny cause she kept trying to push it back in her mouth with her front paws. She dropped it. I am sure you know about scared bird flying all over a room...


That day I got a collar with a bell. She's been wearing it ever since.

[Pastachef]

The bell collar is a great idea, Iza. It warns other wildlife that a cat is around. I'm a little afraid of collars too, because cats like to climb and could easily get it hung on something. I always read that the stretchable ones are safe.

[twylyn]

Papa,

We feed the chipmunks in our yard, too

We sprinkle a mixture of bird seed, corn, and peanuts on the patio, and that's usually where the chipmunks come to eat (they also eat under our birdfeeder and climb up nearby trees & hop onto the birdfeeder to eat). This spring we had two babies who looked liked twins...they both had white spots on their foreheads! But we only saw them a few times, and now we only see an older chipmunk. I always worry when the babies "disappear," because one year we saw what looked like a hawk of some sort grabbing a chipmunk off of our bird feeder and then flying away with it...

Our most recent heartbreaking incident was finding a baby chipmunk in a shoe in our garage whose back legs were paralyzed. We kept him for a few days, hoping we could keep him as a pet (since his chances in the wild were slim), but he died a few days later

We've also had rabbits feeding under our birdfeeder...I'm not too happy when they nibble off flowers in the yard, but I love them anyway. I love to see the babies eating on our patio.

And recent "visitors" have been a couple of mallard ducks (male & female) feeding under our birdfeeder this year. It's fun to watch the interaction of all of the "creatures"! The rabbits were chasing around in circles one night, around the ducks...they just stood and watched the charade

I wish I had a camera or video camera ready at all times to capture these great moments!

It's so nice to find others who love animals as I do

p.s. We have a few cats also, but they are indoor cats. I've known of too many heartbreaking stories of cats being run over by cars or lost, at least where I live.