My Killer Kitten!

[Nikkijah]

I opened the front door and in flew a big rat! Then in flew one of our 7 week old kittens with eyes like saucers!!

What great pest control these little monsters are! And we've got 4 of them, plus mum, plus dad...

The poor vicious little rat must have been nearly half the kittens size but that didn't stop my little monster

[elfe]

oh my god that's really scary

what a brave kitten!!!

[Nikkijah]

I'm a very proud 'daddy'

[BambinA]

awwwwwwwwwwwww

yuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

I do not like these photos,although the kitty is cute

I fear ...yes the rat...

[Nikkijah]

I used to enjoy watching the rats jumping from tree to tree but then when I found them eating my croissants my outlook changed, and now that my babies are bringing them home as presents I'm delighted, not so delighted in the morning when I wake up to find 1 million BIG red ants and a smell from hel_l outside my front door though

[eek]

Wonder what kitty will bring in when he/shes all grown up!!! farmers lock up your cows!

[chuchok]

I'm a very proud 'daddy'

wonderfull stuff.I had a Burmese that was just the same.From kitten to adult,she killed truck loads of critters.Every time she brought home fresh road kill,I used to clap my hands like she had just finished first in a race.

[Nikkijah]

I actually used to have a lady friend in the UK who kept a couple of rats as pets and she enlightened me to how intelligent they were so I do feel a little bit guilty about it but I feel I've got no choice but to let the kittens roam

[Nikkijah]

wonderfull stuff.I had a Burmese that was just the same.From kitten to adult,she killed truck loads of critters.Every time she brought home fresh road kill,I used to clap my hands like she had just finished first in a race.

The kitten in the photo is actually half Burmese and half Persian, our friends left their Persian with us while they found a suitable home and he couldn't resist our tarty little Burmese and then out popped 2 black and 2 grey Persian/Burmese cross kittens, the Persian father however, is the laziest cat around, he'd run away from the rats, or at least not give chase... so I think the killer instinct has come from mums side

My one worry is that they'll start tackling the snakes soon, thinking they're ready and possibly the snake getting the better of them

[Nikkijah]

Wonder what kitty will bring in when he/shes all grown up!!! farmers lock up your cows!

If she grows big enough she might be able to get rid of some of the undesirable villagers

[PhilHarries]

Back in the UK we had a Siamese - Burmese cross who was a real hunter. On more than one occassion we came out to find the remains of a squirrell on the back step. Just the head and the tail, nothing else.

Some friend's cat brought home a live duck in the early hours of the morning. Got it through the cat flap into the kitchen. They weren't too please to find the place covered in feathers and duck sh1t and one very irate duck, still alive, sat on the freezer.

[SnakeBite]

I think letting them run free does not show respect to your neighbors as when they do grow up, they will do all their howling whenever one is in heat. I have neighbors with cats and they do this howling bit all the time and the males out running around spraying their urine, just makes me madder at the neighbors. Can't stand the bastards. Are you going to have them fixed later or are you going to populate the whole area with these blighters or be a responsible pet owner and keep them in your own bloody house?

[sbk]

Wow, thats an aggressive post that really assumes alot there Snakebite.

[raro]

congratullations to that hunter, Nikki, Beautiful cat as well!

Our cat's first catch was also a rat and since the population of geckos, tukaes, frogs and other creepy crawlies is under control....

[Nikkijah]

I think letting them run free does not show respect to your neighbors as when they do grow up, they will do all their howling whenever one is in heat. I have neighbors with cats and they do this howling bit all the time and the males out running around spraying their urine, just makes me madder at the neighbors. Can't stand the bastards. Are you going to have them fixed later or are you going to populate the whole area with these blighters or be a responsible pet owner and keep them in your own bloody house?

That's a tough one Snakebite... I think I'll let all 4 kittens grow up with their ovaries intact and let them howl in chorus aaaallllllll niiiiiight loooooong

Alternatively I could follow your great and wise advice and get them spayed and spare my neighbours the trouble of listening to my 4 cats as well as the pack of 30 dogs which roams the neighbourhood howling at every single pin that drops...and the chickens who wake up at 4.30am or the tour boats going past at dawn preparing for the days tours or the bull frogs singing, or the crickets even!

Yes, great idea, keep 5 cats inside the house, all staring through the window at the rat party outside, also letting the rat party continue into my neighbours domains - the neighbours would much prefer that

[SnakeBite]

Yes it is a tough way to respond but if you had cats running around your place spraying all the time and hearing the howling at all hours of the night, you might get a little bent about it also. Oh yes and keep all your pets not spayed or neutered and you'll end up with inbred buggers running around and sooner or later you'll have a plague of cats. Why can't you set traps for all these bloody rats you have running around or get a professional exterminator to get rid of the rats. I wouldn't want to live in an area that has armies of rats running around anyway, move to a better or cleaner area.

I can't abide by people that have pets and then just let them wander around doing their biz on the neighbors property. Some people get these so called "pets" when they're small and once they grow up, chuck them to the street and let others take care of them. Not what I call be a responsible pet owner in my opinion.

[Jet Gorgon]

SB, it sounds like Nikki lives near a beach. Cats alwyas roam and they do clean up the rat pop very well. I think only males howl and mark territory. I would get all of them fixed tho, Nikki. They'll still hunt but have fewer cat fights and no more babies. Mine hunted at night, left the remains on the balcony and slept most of the day. The only thing I scolded them for (they got geckos, lizards anything that moved) was catching birds. Had many a bird nip when I rescued them from three cats sitting in a circle waiting to torture the poor things.

[Nienke]

Absolutely beautiful pic's! Mother Nature and photographer at their best

Nienke

[geriatrickid]

Bringing home prey to share is quite a compliment.

Mind you, I have 2 concerns about this story;

1. We all know that rats are disease and parasite vectors. I'd be concerned about the cat picking up a few unwanted visitors and hope Mr. kitty has some sort of protection. (I thought you'd apprecate the nagging. )

2. The biggest threat to nesting birds are cats. Cats wreak havoc on avian and reptile populations. As birds and small reptiles are integrated into the ecosystem (eating bugs, serving as food for other animals etc.) interference with their populations has negative implicatons. It's why places like Hawaii have ruthless feral cat eradication programs. I also know that cats and many thai snakes are mismatched battle foes. Unfortunately, the furball that lives with me doesn't agree and with a flick of his tail tells me to bugger off.

I do envy you though, as he's quite a looker. May you have many years of delight when he shares his cat breath with you. Nothing says good morning like that

Edited July 1, 2007 by geriatrickid

[Globeliner]

Yes it is a tough way to respond but if you had cats running around your place spraying all the time and hearing the howling at all hours of the night, you might get a little bent about it also. Oh yes and keep all your pets not spayed or neutered and you'll end up with inbred buggers running around and sooner or later you'll have a plague of cats. Why can't you set traps for all these bloody rats you have running around or get a professional exterminator to get rid of the rats. I wouldn't want to live in an area that has armies of rats running around anyway, move to a better or cleaner area.

I can't abide by people that have pets and then just let them wander around doing their biz on the neighbors property. Some people get these so called "pets" when they're small and once they grow up, chuck them to the street and let others take care of them. Not what I call be a responsible pet owner in my opinion.

May I ask, what you are on about? Inbred? Well there we go.

[eek]

May you have many years of delight when he shares his cat breath with you. Nothing says good morning like that

Nothing says good morning like cat breath, plus: cat drool, cat purrs, and cat claws. I miss it all!

[Jet Gorgon]

Cat kneading and purring.

[Nikkijah]

It doesn't matter what topic is started, or what the content is, you will always get one tit amongst the respondents...

The cats aren't actually allowed in the house, I'm allergic to them! I still love them and play with them!

The biggest kitten is the first to respond to affection, she started to purr the other day and it was so cute!!

We're moving to Chiang Mai this month so we can only take the mum and two of the kittens with us, the other two kittens and the dad are staying in our house with our friends while we're away, I hope they deal with the separation well

BTW snakebite(it's all in the name ) All the kittens are female and the daddy has just had his balls cut off so none of them will be finding their way to your solemn and sacred ground ok

[eek]

Snakebite, if you are having problems with cats coming into your garden etc try adding citronella or even just lemon juice to water and spraying around the spots they seem to go to. They dont like the lemony smell. At one point a big bully cat used to attack my little kitty too much so i would keep a spray bottle handy and squirt the big kitty to make it go away. The cognitive approach helps imo and they soon register that things are not as they like so go elsewhere. (same for the calling in heat. Spray some water and they will stop hanging about. maybe a pain to get up to do this..but will benifit in the end).

I have also noticed a funny phenomona with cats. They seem to sense who likes them and who doesnt. Maybe they dont like to poop in a persons garden who also shows them affection, prefering to go where they wont hang about. I recal my grandmothers neighbour who LOATHED cats was the only garden that my grans kitty seemed to want to go to, no matter how hard she tried to stop her. Poor lady was going insane from my grans cat who would traverse across countless gardens to poop on her pansys. In truth we all found it hysterical im afraid. But to prevent further disagreements my gran got a litter tray and we eventually we moved it to a spot behind the garden shed till she started getting used to going there.

[Etrigan]

Well I've got a few cats and for sure there is only one thing worse than finding a dead rat outside your bedroom door at 7 am surrounded by four kittens.

Yep, you've got it. That's half a dead rat!

[eek]

When i lived out in the sticks in Cumbria, one of my cats used to bring in all sorts. He was a little sick feral cat when i found him and i think the real hunter in him never left. He brought in a live Hare once but i was able to rescue it. It was nearly as big as he was. Also brought in a bat, but it was ok in the end too. Hadnt realised how beautiful bats looked till then. I only hope my scent didnt have any negative effect.

He used to bring in a lot of live prey, but would never scold him. He was bringing me a present in his books, so how could i. He always made a certain meow to inform me he had something for me, and would puff out his chest with pride when i came.

Its hard sometimes, but short of locking your animals up, there isnt much you can do.

[Nikkijah]

Well I've got a few cats and for sure there is only one thing worse than finding a dead rat outside your bedroom door at 7 am surrounded by four kittens.

Yep, you've got it. That's half a dead rat!

for us it's just guts and the back legs!?

[Sheryl]

I have also noticed a funny phenomona with cats. They seem to sense who likes them and who doesnt. Maybe they dont like to poop in a persons garden who also shows them affection, prefering to go where they wont hang about. I recal my grandmothers neighbour who LOATHED cats was the only garden that my grans kitty seemed to want to go to, no matter how hard she tried to stop her. Poor lady was going insane from my grans cat who would traverse across countless gardens to poop on her pansys.

Brings to mind a story I can't resist sharing. Many decades ago, I was married and had 2 cats whom I adored but my husband disliked. The feeling was mutual. The cats' favorite trick was to climb into his shoes (close-toed shoes, this being in a temperate climate) during the night and pee or poop or both, then hide nearby while he dressed in the morning and wait for him to put them on and holler. At which point they would gleefully emerge, run for it and hide to escape his wrath. They were perfectly litter box trained and never, ever went anywhere else..except inside his shoes.

This scenario was repeated several times a week at least. Always left me in stitches altho my husband didn't find it so funny.

As you might guess since I am now long divorced, I ultimately came to share the cats' opinion of him. They are such excellent judges of character.....

BTW, Snakebite: if you'd like to be free from cat howling noises and do a good deed into the bargain, catch them and take them in to be neutered or spayed. Which of course is what their owners (if they have owners) ought to do.

[sbk]

As long as we are bringing up cat hunting stories...

My old cat, Lizzie, was quite the hunter in her day (She lived to over 16!) and was fond of bringing her prey inside the house. Our bed is situated under the (open) window through which she came. I woke up one night to munching sounds in my ear to find her consuming her dead mouse on my pillow. Needless to say, I shrieked and leaped out of bed faster than I thought I could

Loved her to bits but it was an annoying habit.

Here she is a few years before she died (RIP Lizzie, Nov 2006).

[eek]

ow sbk thankfully that one has never happened to me! Grossssss!!!

Bubba, my faithful feral kitty (the one who brought in the bat etc) died too. Exactly five year ago soon. He lived to roughly 14 years (not sure what age he was when i found him but between 1-2 years i think). Eventually he had liver failure and after several failed attempts at the vets he died one evening. Still breaks my heart to think about him. My ex now has our other two cats. Im thinking i dont want to ever own cats or pets again, for although i miss having the companionship, its just too bloody painful when seperated from them.

Edited July 4, 2007 by eek