Indoor Hunting

The life of a suburban indoor hunter can be a boring one, especially in the winter months. But now that spring is finally upon us things are finally picking up for our wannabe tigers.

Last night the prey in question was a moth. Things started off smoothly. Kyla, our spider killer extraordinaire was the first to spot it. Of course once she was interested Kidd just had find out what all the fuss was about. That boy does not like to be left out of anything! However what Kyla does with athletic grace and poise, Kidd does with brute force and galumphing elephant paws.

First of all we tried sitting on top of the TV stretching up the wall. ‘What is so bad about that?’ you ask. Well we have painted walls, and when you run your claws down them you have a high-pitched version of nails on a chalkboard. Which apparently is quite a nice sound to a cat.

Then we thought we would try chasing it. I tell you the fun you can have chasing around a flat after a flying monster is amazing. I have pointed out to Kidd that it was only a small moth, but he is insistent that he has seen pictures and it was defiantly a large dragon of some kind.

Any way as the ‘dragon’ fluttered around the flat, Kyla stalked while Kidd just crashed around a lot. Our humble abode is so much tidier since his arrival. Leave something lying around on a unit and it soon goes crashing to the ground as he goes skidding along the worktop.

Eventually the moth, I mean dragon, decided to take refuge in the hall. Our brave warriors following to defeat their worthy foe. All was quiet until we heard an almighty crash. I got up to see what they hell was going on, only to be nearly bowled over by a streak of brown tortie fur as it came careering into the lounge. In the hall there was no sign of anything being knocked over and more importantly no sign of Kidd. We checked every room but everything was as it should be minus our dragon slayer. As funny as it might be now, I was actually getting worried. I couldn’t find the cause of the bang and couldn’t find Kidd. What if he was hurt? Apart from being frightened we knew that Kyla was all right. She was hiding under the sofa telling us she wasn’t coming out until we could prove to her all was safe.

After a couple of minutes Kidd did finally appear, tail like a fox, covered in dust and obviously spooked, but otherwise ok. We never did find out what the bang was and to be honest with you we were much more worried about the cats.

However the story doesn’t end there. And yes I know what I am about to tell you is completely insane and rather embarrassing for me but still I go on. While I was getting ready for bed, cleaning all the litter trays and making sure water bowls and food bowls are filled. I discover our dragon slayers back sitting in the hall, willing said moth to fly down lower within their reach. Kyla quickly realises that I am in fact just about the right height and if I pick her up she can deliver the final deathblow. So like an idiot I oblige and she takes a swipe and misses. What then follows is five minutes of me running through the hall with Kyla in my arms, her taking pot shots at the moth, sorry dragon and Kidd following along, shouting ‘Pick me up. Pick me up. I’ll kill it, I’ll kill it.’

Some of you will be glad to hear that we never did catch the beast. It flew away to I don’t know where and the three of us decided we were too tired to care any more and went to bed.

Snuggled up for the night with my two favourite Orientals I begin to understand why they think I am just part of their group. And I feel strangely honoured to be accepted as one of their own.