Hunting Season

Frank enjoys our backyard jungle

                It’s autumn!  In South Dakota, that means it’s hunting season.  Since I’m a vegetarian and my husband is more of a motor head than an outdoorsman, we’ve never gotten involved in our state’s favorite pastime.  The cats, however, embrace it wholeheartedly.

                They began honing their skills when the first leaves hit the ground.  Any loose leaf tumbling in the breeze is fair prey.  The hunters jack up their hind ends, hunch down over their front paws, wiggle their butts in excited anticipation and…pounce!  Another dried leaf bites the dust.  Today, all five of the clowder spent the afternoon in the sun, alternating between naps and stalking. 

                Frank has moved on to more elusive targets:  grasshoppers and cicadas.  The crunchier the bug, the more fun it is to chew.  Eww…I’m especially looking forward to stepping on the crunchy remnants he’ll inevitably hack up this evening.  I’d better wear socks tonight to help cut down on the yuck factor.

                Toby, having reverted to a semi-feral state this fall, has foregone leaves and bugs (except for the occasional butterfly) and has focused his attacks on squirrels.  So far the score is Squirrels 153, Toby 0.  I hate to think what would happen if he actually caught one.  As noted, he’s shed his tame housecat demeanor this fall.  We only see him at night if he needs petting and in the morning when he wants canned food.  The rest of the time we glimpse him in brief blurs as he flies past the window in pursuit of aforementioned squirrels.

                Soon enough the snow will fly and the cats will be stuck inside for the winter.  Let them have their fun as long as these glorious days of autumn last!