Thursday, September 27, 2007
Toby Catches Squirrels
Toby, a large, black and tan classic tabby, was declawed when he came to live with us. He joined a household of four dogs and two cats without any problems. My bedroom had a door that opened to our fenced backyard. This door had a doggy door so our dogs could go out at will into the yard. Toby immediately learned to use this exit. The back yard was about sixty by forty feet with a six-foot chainlink fence, two large trees and a boxwood hedge in the rear. Toby had sense enough to stay within this yard's relative safety most of the time.
Because Toby was declawed, I did not expect him to be a very effective hunter. I was wrong. One day I heard a commotion in the back yard, dogs barking, a strange screech, and the sounds of running. I was in my bedroom and headed for the door to see what was wrong. I never reached the door. Toby bolted through the doggy door with the dogs in pursuit. The dogs were not after Toby, but his victim, a full grown squirrel clutched in Toby's jaws.
I closed the french doors that led from the rest of the house into my bedroom and grabbed the nearest dog. Somehow, I manage to shove all four into the next room. By this time, Toby had released his squirrel who was now on the curtain rod above my bed. Toby contemplated his prey and began an advance across my bed. I grabbed him and put him with the dogs.
I heard the squirrel running along the curtain rod and turned to see Tippy, my spayed female cat, halfway up the curtain. I don't know where she had come from, but she was trouble. Tippy was the killer in the family. She never played with anything she caught. She always killed it, quickly and cleanly. I climbed on my bed to get her, but she jumped to the dresser in pursuit of the scampering squirrel. I heard the doggy door pop as Tippy's brother Tigre bounded into the room. The squirrel and I had a chance now, because Tigre was a clutz whose main talent seemed to be blocking Tippy from her prey. Today was no different. Tigre joined Tippy on the dresser and body blocked her off. She landed on the floor with her tail lashing her anger with her brother. I grabbed her, and she joined the dogs and Toby. Tigre had now managed to send my jewelry case off the end of the dresser. Luckily, the box landed on the bed. I grabbed him and stuffed him past his sister who desperately wanted back into the bedroom.
Toby was on an armchair watching me through the glass of the french door. I began to suspect he had planned the whole escapade. I opened the back door and looked for something to shoo the squirrel with. I did not see anything, but there was no need. The squirrel saw the opening, flew off the curtain rod onto the floor and scampered out the door. I shut the door behind its bushy tail.
Of course, through this whole ordeal the dogs barked, Tippy scratched at the door, Tigre stood on his hind legs digging at the glass, while Toby sat on the back of the overstuffed chair enjoying it all. Toby would bring in other squirrels, always alive, and release them in the bedroom, but never again would the whole cat and dog family be in attendance.
Because Toby was declawed, I did not expect him to be a very effective hunter. I was wrong. One day I heard a commotion in the back yard, dogs barking, a strange screech, and the sounds of running. I was in my bedroom and headed for the door to see what was wrong. I never reached the door. Toby bolted through the doggy door with the dogs in pursuit. The dogs were not after Toby, but his victim, a full grown squirrel clutched in Toby's jaws.
I closed the french doors that led from the rest of the house into my bedroom and grabbed the nearest dog. Somehow, I manage to shove all four into the next room. By this time, Toby had released his squirrel who was now on the curtain rod above my bed. Toby contemplated his prey and began an advance across my bed. I grabbed him and put him with the dogs.
I heard the squirrel running along the curtain rod and turned to see Tippy, my spayed female cat, halfway up the curtain. I don't know where she had come from, but she was trouble. Tippy was the killer in the family. She never played with anything she caught. She always killed it, quickly and cleanly. I climbed on my bed to get her, but she jumped to the dresser in pursuit of the scampering squirrel. I heard the doggy door pop as Tippy's brother Tigre bounded into the room. The squirrel and I had a chance now, because Tigre was a clutz whose main talent seemed to be blocking Tippy from her prey. Today was no different. Tigre joined Tippy on the dresser and body blocked her off. She landed on the floor with her tail lashing her anger with her brother. I grabbed her, and she joined the dogs and Toby. Tigre had now managed to send my jewelry case off the end of the dresser. Luckily, the box landed on the bed. I grabbed him and stuffed him past his sister who desperately wanted back into the bedroom.
Toby was on an armchair watching me through the glass of the french door. I began to suspect he had planned the whole escapade. I opened the back door and looked for something to shoo the squirrel with. I did not see anything, but there was no need. The squirrel saw the opening, flew off the curtain rod onto the floor and scampered out the door. I shut the door behind its bushy tail.
Of course, through this whole ordeal the dogs barked, Tippy scratched at the door, Tigre stood on his hind legs digging at the glass, while Toby sat on the back of the overstuffed chair enjoying it all. Toby would bring in other squirrels, always alive, and release them in the bedroom, but never again would the whole cat and dog family be in attendance.
Labels: declawed, doggy door, dogs, squirrel, Tigre, Tippy, Toby
# posted by January Cat @ 2:17 PM 
