I have a Kitler. This is an über-Kitler. My Kitler is a minor Kitler. He is very cute but also very evil (if you are a small mammal or bird). He also eats bugs but like who is counting on that score? He sleeps on a load of towels (princess and the pea fashion) most of the time and then saunters out to kill something for the sheer hell of it. I rather admire him for that. He is freerer than I am in a way.
There are a lot of cats up our road but Timmy is King of the Hill. He defends his gaff with alacrity and I have seen him do things… Things I dare not relate in terms of utterly devastating other cats. I once split him in a fight from another tom and the millisecond my back was tuned Timmy flew onto the retreating cat’s back and was tearing fur like a good ‘un. I shouldn’t be proud but I am not least because he’s my cat and the noise was utterly outrageous which was kinda cool. It sounded like the Red Army was having a the Waffen SS BBQ. It was also a manoeuvre I had spent months perfecting in MiG Alley so fair play to Timmy for getting it from the first - there were claws everywhere and that leap - Jeezus Chriscringle - that was like 8 metres with all cutting surfaces bared so respect is due - that was Jackie Chan feline fine. He is a wonderful cat. He loves us but by God if you cross him you’d better know a bloody good plastic surgeon.
Timmy is the bestest form of Kitler. He is armed and approximately on my side. Well, as much as a cat can ever be on anyone’s side.
What timing. Just as I was wondering how to horn in on the action and post this!
Time to clean up!
Makes you wonder whether his first stop will be to deal with the vermin in #10, or #11.
I could do with a moggy possessing solid killer instincts because we keep getting invaded by various kinds of mice (a drawback of country living). Sadly my other half can’t stand cats and an elderly Springer (who won’t let other dogs invade her space longer than an hour or so) can’t quite cut the mustard any more. I’d borrow my Mum’s Jack Russel who can catch rodents but the bloody thing is too fond of cocking its leg where it shouldn’t.
At least I’ve found that the best mouse bait is bananas. For some reason it’s always bananas they go for first.
A Jack Russell tends to be a fine rodenticide but I appreciate your dilemma.
Bananas is a new one on me. I may try it though my attempts at trapping mice are woeful in the extreme. Fortunately we don’t have an infestation just random field mice wandering in when the cat is asleep. It’s embarrassing. Here’s me with degrees in physics and astrophysics and Jerry out-smarts me despite having a brain half the size of a peanut.
Nick, ours wander in but the problem is the little buggers can’t find their way back outside again, not even if its signposted. I caught a woodmouse in my lounge a few weeks ago. It was so damn cute I couldn’t deliver the coup de grace and ended up driving the three miles to the nearest beauty spot to release it. Apparently, despite the fact they can’t retrace their steps back outdoors, they have an uncanny homing instinct. I reckon they can zone in on the contents of my fruit bowl like male moths can track down femi-lepidopteric pussy.
If it’s any consolation Lynne, my moggie Cassie is such a keen mouser that she goes out and catches them and brings them home to play with, then loses them. Mice, rats, the occasional bird. I don’t think she’s ever caught one indoors, but she’s sure given me plenty of opportunities to chase around with her trying to catch one she brought home and lost under the sofa.
She doesn’t always bring them in. She outdid herself once; I went out into the garden one morning and there were nine dead rats scattered around near the back door. Total carnage. It was like the Battle Of The Somme.
Except with rats, that is. And not quite so muddy.
Yeah, ours, Frosty, is a great mouser, but I can’t help thinking we should have called him Grima Wormtongue. He’s been very hungry lately.
He catches everything up to (and including) great big juicy chipmunks, but insists on bringing back just the tail and the arse of the thing - the rest will have been a (presumably) delightful snack, because we never find any of the missing bits. Why he thinks we want the lower alimentary canal of a rodent is lost on me.
Small rats, frogs, snakes, baby possums, all manner of birds (except crows - even Frosty won’t take on crows). Our neighbors love us, because our property just can’t contain his voracious appetites. Sad thing is, he’s getting old now and we can’t bring ourselves to bring in an apprentice for him.
“femi-lepidopteric pussy”
A mental image I am trying to erase.
Bod,
Yeah, I once had a cat like that. she seemed very proud of the fine gift of rodent bowels she bestowed upon me. And quite indignant when I binned the entrails. Apparently it is the best bit and they are trying to show love. And yeah, I have never known a cat to take on a crow or similar. They know they will be pwned.
Ian,
Nine! Wow. Some cat you got there!
Good on you, Nick! My tomcat showed up (I live in the sticks, & cats are always getting dumped out here) as a kitten. I thought he was a cute, if big-footed, lovable, clumsy idiot. He grew in to a big-headed, neckless, muscular monster who’s pure bloody hell on anything with four legs (even the goats are skittish around him. I’m glad he’s (as you say) mostly on my side.