afternoon Ellie crept out of the Orangery. One leg lifted high and with care, she could have been starring in a Tom and Jerry cartoon. The other paws followed in the same stealthful style. She was good at this. She crept up the steps then along the top to where Ratty so intent on gorging on the sunflower seeds was completely oblivious to the foe silently approaching.
With a mad scramble she shot along the flower border only to see the tail departing under the garden fence.
Mind you if she had of caught him she I am sure wouldn’t have known exactly what to do.
What makes me say that?
The other day after months and months of chasing she caught a squirrel, much to her amazement as well as ours. She kept pawing it as it tried to get away, similar to a cat playing with their victim before the kill. We called her off and I sent the husband to investigate and to do the deed if necessary. He couldn’t find it, so it was decided the best thing to do was to send her in to flush it out, which she did and luckily it got itself up the tree, looking dazed but seeming okay. We were all glad, well apart from Ellie I suppose?
I well remember me having to kill a squirrel that Letty had caught but not finished off. I went up to check it was dead. It was badly injured and I had the job of despatching it. Not a task I would recommend to anyone. The problem I had was I hadn’t taken the deep leaf mould into account and hitting it on the head, just pushed it further into the forest floor. It took me a couple of goes, I remember the horror to this day!
As I sent the man off, coward that I am I reminded him of my mistake and be sure not to do the same thing.
Meanwhile Ratty is getting ever more adventurous.
Meanwhile Ratty is getting ever more adventurous.
Sonny turns his head the other way if he spots a squirrel! He pretends not to see it in case he is expected to do something about it. It's hilarious watching him chase a bird as he skids to a halt if they have the cheek not to fly away in time! Mice I don't mind in the garden but a rat? I hope Ellie catches it and despatches it! x
ReplyDeleteEllie never watches the television when it is on, however the David Attenborough type wildlife show that is going on outside in the Wrenery is a little more to her discerning taste.
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The dog of a friend used to catch possums and her preferred method of despatch was drowning. We've no idea where she learned that but came upon her more than once trying to hold a struggling possum under water in nothing more substantial than a puddle. She could certainly do the deed in deeper water but we couldn't work out how she didn't drown herself in the process.
ReplyDeleteInteresting little trick. Ellie was completely mystified as to what to do when she caught the squirrel. I would have thought her shaking her toy Cyril the squirrel would have taught her!?!
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Fortunately our cats have reached the stage where chasing squirrels is just a token gesture to keep themselves entertained. But hunting rats is still serious business if they find one. A few years ago my husband was presented with three ratty corpses as a birthday present. I got the live, but badly injured one and had to dispose of it. Not easy, but neither was watching the cats play with it.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I have seen Ellie really, like really energised was when a cat had the effrontery to walk down the wall towards the cottage. She was off like a greyhound out of the track at the Catford Greyhound Stadium. Strangely we haven’t seen a cat here since... the word is out!
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Rats, that's were I draw the line! If I was in your situation, I would catch that Sucker and take it on a trip to Clee Hill!!!
ReplyDeleteMy approach is to stink it out. I am off to town to buy some Citronella, Eucalyptus, or some other pungent oil to dissuade it from here. It has become increasingly bold, and a family will surely follow?
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My experience is mice and two Cairns. One Cairn to flush, the other to dispatch! No rats made an appearance.
ReplyDeleteThat is the good thing about terriers they have a inbuilt skill of kill. Also sadly the well honed habit of barkalot!
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Ugh! The rat has to go! I hope the stinky stuff does the trick and he/she looks for a new home far, far away.
ReplyDeleteSo far the hot chilli powder seems to be working its magic, I haven’t seen it since. I would rather make this cushy billet less appealing! Poison: is such an appalling end to a creature that is just doing what we all try to do, make a living, look after the family...
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