the food chain
So yesterday, I let Brett, Number 4, most often known as Puddin’ Pie, outside for the first time in three days, and later, I look out the kitchen window and I see him carrying a huge bird in his tiny kitten mouth. And I thought it was a mockingbird, my mockingbird, the one that likes to tell me lots of stories, and I was oh, so not happy with Brett.
So I sent my husband a text that said, “Brett just killed the mockingbird,” and he called me and said, “No, that bird was out there when I mowed the lawn last night.” And Brett was not.
Pause. Okay….
And I was glad, oh so glad, that Brett didn’t kill it, and then, just a few minutes later, I heard the mockingbird, my mockingbird, singing his tune, and I was glad, oh so glad about that. But still, I had to wonder, who or what killed this bird, and why, knowing that we have six, yes, six! cats, did my husband just leave it out there?
Because then I couldn’t find Brett to get it away from him, and when he finally did come back, he was licking his chops, so I know, just know, that he had himself an I-have-no-idea-how-long-this-bird-has-been-dead snack.
But I can’t blame him, he’s a cat, for crying out loud. That’s his job in life. To kill birds and mice and those mice in clown’s costumes, the chipmunk. And then eat them.
And still it made me sad, because I love my birds and we have spent so much time and bird seed and bird baths and bird houses trying to attract them to our yard, and now we have these cats that I want to kill the mice and even the cute little chipmunks, but I definitely don’t want them killing birds.
But that is not the way nature works, not the way instinct works, and why did I think it would be, could be otherwise?
And then Brett, he comes inside and he climbs into my lap and he is just so stinkin’ cute and he is all cuddly, all purrs and kisses and sweet tiny meows in his funny little squeaky kitten voice. And I am in love with this kitten and his sweet cuddly kitten ways. But. I have seen, several times now, what he can do.
What he is capable of.
Food for thought, that.
May 14th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Oh Brett, Brett, Brett if you’re not careful you’re apt to be more than “puddin pie ” 🙂
May 15th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Loving someone even when there is an aspect of their nature that doesn’t fit for you is a special art – accepting true nature. Me, I’m afraid of most birds (except birds of prey, strangely) so I’m glad for you that your mocking bird was spared, but otherwise I’ll take a cat any day 🙂
May 15th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
your photo couldn’t be more perfect for this post. awesome shot!
oh, the stories i could tell about out cats while i was growing up. i don’t have cats now, but i love birds very much, so i think that would have upset me so. yes… just nature doing it’s thing. we do have a stray or roaming cat that hangs out on our property a lot. if he were to harm my little cardinal friend, i should not be very happy at all!
so, now i’d like to see some pics of your bird friends. i’ve seen several of your cats. we need to even the score here. : )
i do remember seeing one that i loved so much on blue muse a while back. i assume that was in your yard???
May 15th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
What a perfect, perfect image for this. Those rascally cats – they are MEAN and EVIL and they ignore us and they eat our friends and they still charm their way into our hearts. Mama Nature. I find it good to know they can survive without me. That it’s not just food they want from me. 🙂
May 16th, 2010 at 9:09 am
It Is a great & wonderful challenge, isn’t it?? Not only accepting & loving a being for their essential nature (cats eat birds, dogs chase cats.
humans in the modern world run around like crazed chimps), but then also for their very own oddities
(the Siamese will pick fights w/ anyone,the puppy loves the taste of my carpet, Etc) We shall all do a bit more of that today!! :-}
May 18th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Most disturbing site today. Big calico chasing a smaller black cat. Little black cat had the lead, but no match. Fight ensued. I sat in my car wondering what I should do. Then I realized… I wasn’t supposed to do anything.
I had to drive away, but was literally shaken. I know, just nature.
When I came home, I hugged my boys.
May 19th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
I’m glad it wasn’t your mockingbird. Kitties do love the birds.