Sunday, November 27, 2016

The Cry of the Warriors



We have had intruder cats passing by the windows of the apartment previously. Sometimes, they stop to look at my animals within. Most seem quite unconcerned by the disturbance they cause. This time, I noticed less the cat outside than the reaction to his presence.

Three of my cats gathered at the bedroom window to view this intruder. (Of course, he was not actually an intruder, any more than others in his position have been. They have a perfect right to walk by on the lawn outside. But try telling my beasts that.) Alerted by Renn’s vocal disapproval, Tucker and Josie hopped up to see this audacity for themselves.


While Josie remained silent, Renn gave definite indication of his outrage. He is a big, muscular animal, and venting his astonished anger on this occasion produced a fittingly menacing sound. Starting at the mid-range, his whine dropped slowly like a descending bomb, growing deeper and more furious. It was a challenge and a warning.

“Hhhhhrrrrrrnnnnnnnggggggggrrrrrrrr.”

Tucker too took umbrage with this breach of the neutral zone that he seems to think surrounds the apartment’s exterior. He crouched low in the saddle of the cat-tree and glared at the feline beyond the glass. Following my big boy’s lead, he gave forth his own defiance of the stranger.

“Hooooooouuuuurrrrrrwwwww.”


He sounded like ‘this little piggy that went “wee wee wee” all the way home.’ A deflating bladder of bagpipes would convey greater danger to a trespasser. The stranger must have wondered why I was keeping a beached seal on a cat-tree.

I would never let my pets out of the apartment, of course, unless it were on a leash of some sort, and probably not even then. But I quake to think of what would happen if they escaped. Josie might exist for a long time on body-fat. Cammie is fast and wary, and her distrust might keep her alive. Renn, as shy as he is, might intimidate by his size. Tucker might survive by being elected a pack’s mascot or jester. That’s really his only chance.

So I will keep him – and the others - safe inside. But I know that blood-curdling shriek will turn my dreams into nightmares.

“Hooooooouuuuurrrrrrwwwww.”

Really, it sounded like a baby passing gas…

10 comments:

  1. Good on your gang for defending their home.

    I doubt they would run if they got out, Miss Pops stays close to home but she is lucky as we have a little but private garden for her to play in.

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  2. LOL! I wonder if it was an unneutered male? I'd be curious why that intruder cat caused such a reaction from your crew, particularly if it's not a typical reaction. I know Nicki hates Carla, one of the cats here, and while he reacts with territorial aggression to other passing cats, he doesn't normally have the same level dislike as he does with her. (Memories of Annie, maybe?) Anyway, I'm glad your crew is safe and sound inside!

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  3. Your post was LOL funny. But you certainly don't need an alarm system when you have Renn, Josie and Tucker on the job! From the last picture, it looks like all that hard work tired Tucker out.

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  4. Aaaaaaaaw What a gawjus bunch. And no, no cat has da right to trepass within seein' distance. Dat's all our territory even ifin we've never actually touched it with our own paws. MOL Mommy says so long as me doesn't meow, me can look fierce. As fur Raena? Well da girlys not 'fraid of anythin', so mommy would worry terribly 'bout her ifin she was to get outside. Glad we're all safe and sound inside our homes. Big hugs to all.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Raena

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  5. I am sure your boys would be very indignant of your description of their warrior cries!
    Our garden is secure so no cats can get in, and more importantly Flynn can't get out.
    Once when I was walking in the fields with him and Eric, he suddenly spotted an intruder on HIS hedge. He took off after it across 2 hay fields and a 6 foot high hedge and all I could see were 2 heads bouncing up out of the long grass every now and again. He ignored my shouting to come back, but luckily stopped when he got to our boundary. I think he realised that the other cat was off his property at that stage because that was the furthest we went on our walks.

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    1. I find it very interesting that Flynn knows where his territory ends, and that he wasn't chasing a cat so much as chasing him away. Even so, it must've been frightening for you.

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  6. Great post with excellent descriptions. Your mention of bagpipe sounds makes me chuckle, repeatedly with the thought of the bag delflating during a verse of Scotland the Brave. Laughing out loud again, I am.

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  7. we woke up one morning to find one of our indoor only cats outside. The only thing we could think that happened was she was stuck out in the catio and escaped... she then found her way to a set of stairs and waited patiently while we did the right thing and opened the door to let her in. My heart aches when I think of what could have happened.

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  8. I'm laughing hysterically at the moment, it's hard to type with tears running down my face. I suspect it may be a good thing that Tucker doesn't read what you write...

    I would panic if any of my three get out. Saku acts tough but anytime he's gone out the front door he literally becomes a rock. He flattens himself to the pavement and looks totally freaked out. They, all three, are permitted out in the back yard, one at a time, under supervision. But I don't any of them would survive outside for any extended length of time.

    Thanks for the laugh!

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  9. I read your post out loud to my husband and we both were cracking up!
    Thanks for sharing.

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