Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring Surprises

Our readers here at YA Fresh know that Kelly and I are cuckoo for pets! We feature them in our Caption It! giveaways and love to talk about our own.

Kelly has the cutest dog I’ve ever see, Cinnamon:


who is a toy poodle she got adopted from a breeder. And I have two adorable cats, Rascal and Ruby:


both of whom were born to outdoor strays, and have become happily domesticated...

Except, I am learning that while you can take the cat out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild out of the cat.

Over these early months of Ruby’s life (she’s now 7 months), I’ve watched Rascal teach her the ropes of playing in the yard, where the boundaries are, how to climb trees and up into bushes, and that “the best part” of when the rains end: all the earthworms in the puddles.

Still, nothing prepared me for last week, when Spring Sprung in our California town, and soft, sweet, feminine 7 month old Ruby discovered...hunting! And bringing me...gifts!

--The first day it was a long, hard lizard’s tail. (No idea where the rest of it was/is.)
--The next day it was a small, yet very alive snake. (Which blessedly, I was able to stop at the door and then it slithered away from her.)
--The next day it was a live lizard. (Not a pretty story there, but luckily, my husband was home to clean up.)
--And as I type this, I am quite worried about why she's batting under the microwave oven stand. In fact, I have my feet tucked up under me just in case something comes dashing out.

I know this is the cycle of life, and I know it’s normal and that Rascal did this as a frisky kitty, too, but is it awful to admit I’m actually afraid of what’s coming in my house uninvited next?

Do any of our readers have similar experiences or pet-owner advice?

10 fresh comments:

Lisa said...

This winter we had a slapstick skit in which the cat, Ella, proudly trotted into the living room and showed us the tiny field mouse she caught, and I bustled her through the dining room and kitchen and out the back door -- with the mouse in her mouth still, somehow -- while my stepteen got underfoot trying to figure out what was going,on and my husband unlocked the back door. We got Ella and mouse outside successfully! Once outside, Ella dropped the mouse, and the rascal came back inside! How had we failed to secure the door behind us!?

TinaFerraro said...

LOL, Lisa, that definitely IS slapstick. WOW! Thanks for sharing!

TinaFerraro said...

Oh, and a little PS to this story? There WAS a lizard under the microwave oven. But it ran out...and was promptly discovered by my kitten...and shall we just say is "no longer with us?"

Brittany said...

Thanks for sharing, that does sound like quite a surprise I have five indoor cats so I don't get any outdoot suprise. The youngest one does tend to grab caps to milk containers and such and put them in my bed. Not quite as bad as a lizard tale however. My only advice would be to punish her when she brings things in, if you don't feel like letting the phase run its course. Good luck!

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

While cat sitting for friends the cat left something very ewwww of a bird on their doorstep and had me jumping back with a screech. So take care Tina!! *wink*

bookaholic said...

I do not own a pet but I love Cinnamon! Super cute!

TinaFerraro said...

Just have to add that there's a new lizard in my family room now and I'm thinking the kitten's slogan is, "a lizard a day helps keep the doctor away..."

LOL.

Aliya said...

I've never had a cat but my very domestic puppy discovered that he liked to chew up...erm, feminine products. In the living room. During familiy occasions.

Good luck with your cat, Tina, sounds like you need it :)

~Aliya

cleemckenzie said...

I'm down to my last rescue cat (Condolezza) and part of that is because I'm tired of cornering snakes and tail-less lizards and shooing them outdoors. Talk about heart shock, I found a small rabbit in my bathtub one morning with Condolezza crouched and keeping her where I could find her.

TinaFerraro said...

Oh, my, Aliya! Thanks for sharing that with us.

And Sliding on the Edge, I think your moniker is quite appropriate, with all that your cats have put you through. I'd be on edge, too! Thanks!