Another Rotting Gift From Kitty

[orang37]

I know he loves me deeply, my Mon, my Prince of Cats. Found, rescued, whilst a tiny foundling with a broken tail by Marianne, then kathoey-fied. When I met him he was one of many cats she had, and he did not "play well with others." In spite of Khun Marianne's pleas that I adopt a pair of rotund cats, each of whom looked like a small watermelon on which floated a kitty-face, I bonded with Mon.

He's turned into a boon companion over the last three years. But he has one habit that is driving me crazy : he hides his occasional tookay or bird, or rat, or mouse, or squirrel kills underneath the bed or the couch and in a few other places. And I find them when suddenly their rotting aroma enters my awareness. I can't be angry at him over this : I know it's in his genes to hunt, to bring back the prey, to torment it and toy with it, and, finally, apply the killing bite. And I have rubber gloves ready, plastic bags to wrap around my feet with rubber-band seals; all the ersatz haz-mat gear at hand for the clean-up (hint : use some floral essential oil, perhaps dok bua, in the final mopping).

In his first two years I would often find him with living, just caught prey, and then I'd gently separate him from prey, and return the prey to the garden, or bury it, as needed while keeping him sealed off in the bathroom temporarily. But I think he caught on that if he brought the prey in while I slept, having killed the prey outside so I wouldn't hear the death sounds, he could safely salt away his trophy.

So if I wake up in the night having a "night of the living dead" dream, the first thing I think of is not my sanity, but where has Mon put the corpse. Since there are five hiding places he has used, I don't realy feel like upending the furniture every other day to do a body count. And there's no practical way to block off all those places.

Why am I sharing this with you ? Well, you might say : "suffering shared is suffering diluted ?" If you read this far, of course I am ready to read your "living with animals" story(ies).

Which is not to discount that one of you, gentle readers, may know some cat-mantra that will be efficacious here. And, no, I don't think he's doing this because it's the only way he can remember he once had balls as some Farangs who will remain nameless do with their constant display of uhhhh ... trophies.

~o:37;

[Blinky Bill]

Solution: Kill the cat!!

[patklang]

Great post,made me laugh as i have 4 of the buggers who love to bring in huge ghekos,bugs etc etc.The only problem is its difficult to stay over somewhere for a couple of days as these cats wouldnt be able to hunt and eat.

[eek]

Ahh.... I think most of us who have ever owned cats, know this story well.

If there is no way to block off the area, and it doesnt happen too often, then its something you just have to live with and just keep checking for. BUT, You could try some gentle methods tho, such as spraying anything citrusy around those areas or placing some kind of citrus smelling air freshener or candle (unlit!). Cats usually dislike citronella, lemons, oranges, limes, etc and menthol, mint and eucalyptus. Putting something like that under those areas, may help to disuade Mr Mon from leaving his pressies there. But..will likely find another area..so keep an eye out.

[eek]

eeehya..double post. sry.

Edited April 22, 2009 by eek

[realthaideal]

Funny-ar$e story Orangutan 37; you sure come up with some good stories with those simian synapses o' yours. I'm thinking 'Kitty in wuv. Kitty want take keh you.'

Actually, didn't your relative Koko the Gorilla have a cat too ?

[PhilHarries]

One of the cats I lived with back in the UK was a real hunter, a Siamese/Burmese cross. We'd rarely find the complete corpses, just the bits. Even the passing of larger prey like squirrels was marked merely by the leftovers of the head and tail.

It's a mark of their pride in a job well done that they bring those little trophies home for your appreciation so they don't understand when your first instinct is to get rid of the mess.

[tigerbalm]

One of the cats I lived with back in the UK was a real hunter, a Siamese/Burmese cross. We'd rarely find the complete corpses, just the bits. Even the passing of larger prey like squirrels was marked merely by the leftovers of the head and tail.

It's a mark of their pride in a job well done that they bring those little trophies home for your appreciation so they don't understand when your first instinct is to get rid of the mess.

Interesting i had a couple back home i believe they are called Tonkanese or Tonks for short very talkative... here in Thailand we have 3 cats from various mothers on the estate i must admit i don't like them bringing things home but there is no way one is going to stop it....

[Ricardo]

It's a mark of their pride in a job well done that they bring those little trophies home for your appreciation so they don't understand when your first instinct is to get rid of the mess.

It's also a gift to you, the owner, in gratitude for all the food you give them, and their many neighbourhood friends, such a pity that we don't really enjoy the subtle aromas & flavours of dead mice or gekho-tail !

[kimincm]

Solution: Kill the cat!!

PERFECT ANSWER. Most postings I see here decry the killing of animals,eg."What Snake Is This" invariably several replies will be "I hope you didn't kill it." I hope this sort of reply did not come from a cat owner.

Birds,lizards,squirrels,frogs and anything else with fur,"Oh I couldn't hurt them",but my cat can,"Oh you know they're their like that,that's their style."Cat's like to hunt at night,how about you lock them at night,let them out in the morning.Native fauna is disappearing rapidly worldwide and your stinking pampered moggy and others like it have quite a bit to do with it.