So my cats are pretty wimpy sometimes — they don’t really hunt so much as bat things around; they go outside if the door’s left open, but they refuse to step a paw off the porch and into the wet / dirty grass (thank goodness for me… it means no trying to coax cats out of the bushes and back into the house). They are indoor cats, through and through.
But this morning… I came in from being at work all night to find my two precious kitties rubbing against my legs.
“aww… you guys are so cute… alright, sweethearts, let’s get you some food, you precious— eww! ick! bleck! *shudder* iegh! *lemon face*” That was my morning conversation with my two lovelies, as I almost barefoot stepped on a dead frog with its arm missing in the middle of my living room. Gabby was mighty proud of herself and stood right by the frog for a while to make sure I saw it and complimented her properly. “yes, darling, what a nice gift! But I’m pretty sure I don’t like dead frogs as much as you evidently do… so next time, maybe a box of chocolates or something?”
I’m torn — on the one hand, I’m touched by their generosity… and, for these indoorest-of-all-indoor cats (Elsa once was nose to nose with a mouse, sniffed it for a good 30 seconds, and then walked away as it sauntered back down its hole), it is actually a rite of passage — their first successful kill of a non-insect. So, I’m sorta proud of them.
On the other hand, I’m not looking forward to any more of these gifts, and I hope they don’t get much better at hunting… How do you tell your kitties that you don’t really like froglegs for breakfast, while not undermining their offering?
And it makes me wonder if parents have this dilemma… If so, froglegs or no?
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