She sits in neighbours' backyard trees and watches anything that moves.
She also likes to explore a territory that's larger than I feel easy about, wandering beyond the brick and paved streets around us, to the greenery and trees near the church.
I'm learning more about this lively, spirited little cat than I care to know. Her hunting instincts seem to have developed recently: a small rat, a Scotch egg, a chicken breast. And now, more.
This little egg is what she brought home today. I picked up the larger fragments of shell from amidst the spatters of yolk on the kitchen floor, and set them beside a teaspoon to give a sense of scale - nothing culinary intended.
I think it's a robin's egg, but am not sure. Is it? Whatever it is, it isn't any more, and I, for one, am very sorry.
Millie, on the other hand, is rather pleased with herself. We have had a Serious Talk.
11 comments:
Don't forget - anything your cats bring home are presents for you, and they will always be cats. Predators. Hunters. They don't understand our negative associations with killing. They're just trying to bring home something that shows you what a good cat they are.
They love us despite our foibles, and we love them despite theirs.
One suggestion would be putting bells on their collars... to alert mama bird and other living critters.
Yep, knew that. And all of them, except Lottie, whose fur gets horrendously matted at the very thought of a collar, wear loud jingly bells on their natty neckwear. Doesn't help the chicken breast/Scotch egg/robin's egg to escape, though!
I won't tell that ex-Goodie , if you don't .
Millie doesn't look as though she's overwhelmed with guilt , though . Having seen all the local humans consuming brightly coloured eggs all weekend , she thought she'd try one too . One has to hope she finds them over-rated .
Those sleek, alert poses in the first two pix are in great contrast to the softly relaxed, innocent looking kitty, peacefully asleep in the last pic.
It does look like a Robin's egg. It's very early in the season and they do lay two clutches each year, occasionally three.
I keep my cats in now, for several reasons. But 2 years ago when the blackbirds had fledged, one of the cats caught a baby and brought it into the house. It died of shock. Domestic cats are the worst predators, but nature usually manages to find a balance.
cats are cute but they are also killing machines.
we know that and we love them regardless.
they don't love us all that much, we know that too,
selfish little brutes. Oh well . . .
In the days when I had 7 cats, live and dead prey was a regular feature in this house. Large rabbits seemed to be favoured most. I think I was just a bit surprised by Millie's sudden interest in bringing things home! I hope it's just a passing fancy.
My friend's cat used to bring her garbage - a torn rubber glove, some dead flowers, cellophane from fag packets..... a robin's egg is a bit shocking!
no where blue enough to be a robin's egg from around here... maybe yours have a different colour though.... bad Millie... bad girl!
We have by-laws here... no cats allowed to wander... and if they do...well, folks are actually allowed to trap them...the humane society even gives out the traps... and who knows what happens to them then....
Rupert patrols a wide area at night, and sleeps at home during the day. He has always lived near open countryside, so goodness knows how far he goes! I'm just pleased to see him home every morning.
He has never had a collar, as I read once of a cat hanging from a branch, having got the collar caught!
I fear if "our" fierce tag team duo - the hunters extraordinaire of 29 Black Street (unsuspecting mice, moths and spiders BEWARE !) were to be set loose in the vast wild & tangled lands surrounding this old brick house - it would be carnage pure & simple. The cowboy and I have been considering allowing Oliver & Gus to be outside cats. They are constantly attempting to escape so we've been wondering if maybe it's time to collar & tag them up and set them free. Bleet is an outside cat - but Mamas poor nerves got the better of her when the kittens came along (Mamas nerves are much soothed these days - wink). Will keep you posted. Oliver thinks Millie is "hot" xo les Gang
What a kind gesture on Millie's part....How did she manage to carry an egg?
Our childhood cats favoured large birds and beasts - my mother was always very pleased when a pheasant was dragged in - free food for us. I've had rabbits under the bed and not-very-nice-rats too. When we lived in the suburbs were got rather nasty take-away remnants. Still it's the thought that counts.
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