Our Pets

This isn't about my pet as such: but I will tell the story.

My dad has four cats that visit him every day. They've made themselves at home: not just in the garden but also in the house.

Knowing that cats are predators, the other day one of the cats was teasing a field mouse in my dad's garden. The poor mouse was terrified. So I gently picked up the mouse - away from the cat - and set it free. The mouse lived: yet what surprised me was that the mouse was very still - but alive - in my hand. I gently stroked its head and put it in a safe place.

The cat had no knowledge as to what I had done and kept searching for the mouse. Now I don't fear mice or any other wildlife. But would YOU have done the same? Or would you have been scared of the mouse? Is it nature to let the cat play with the mouse? Was I wrong or right to "interfere" with nature?

I'd appreciate any thoughts you guys have.

I know cats will hunt but I hate that pet cats ie well fed and with no real hunting need will kill just for the fun.

Killing to eat is a necessity and I have no problem with it but hunting for fun is just sadism.

I'd be in the intervene camp too.

I would have intervened as well.

I inherited a cat off a friend. He wasn't much of a mouser, just occasionally.

The first time I saw him mousing, he had this mouse in his mouth, so I ran up to him shouting ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH. He dropped the mouse and ran. I rescued the mouse.

The next time he did it, I repeated my actions.

He actually sat down, mouse in his mouth, and watched me. When I got to him, and was pondering what to do next. He looked me in the eye, and just went 'crunch', spat out the now dead mouse, and walked away.

I believe it was part of his training programme for me. 

It is moments like that that make us feel good about ourselves.  Well done you 

It's the same with me really but for different reasons. I don't like them messing in my veg. Because my garden is a wildlife haven too and birds are also attracted to the food next door the cats tend to visit quite a bit. I don't mind them passing through but they loiter in wait.

It was probably in shock.

This is the best 'pet grooming' picture ever.

It's a lion cut, and you can see how amused the cat is. 

media.snopes.com/images/photos/animals/graphics/lioncut2.jpg

Oh no...  The poor kitty. 

An article just added out of interest:

getpocket.com/explore/item/why-so-many-of-us-are-casual-spider-murderers?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-gb

Do you kill unwanted spiders or leave them outside to their own devices?

I am the latter. I certainly will never handle a large spider but they still deserve respect.

I try not to kill spiders and I do't think I have in a long long time. I really don't know the reason but I just think they are very interesting doing their spider things. Especially the intricate webs they build.

It's in your hair.

Just the one?

How about the babies?

Or the dead insects already tangled in the web?