Kats & Kits: On His Best Behaviour

Many of you will have seen Larry the four year old rescue cat being installed as chief mouser at No 10 Downing St. He is very handsome but is he a hunter much less a ratter, I have my doubts. Some cats are hunters some are not, some chase birds, some bring the odd mouse home as a present but very few domestic cats are rat catchers, even at Kats & Kits where we have 80 plus permanent cats with the freedom of the countryside put a rat in front of many of them and they would look at you with amazement,

“What am I suppose to do with this? I’m going back to bed; call me when the food is ready.”

Many years of cat owning has shown me that cats that do hunt have preferences; Thomas who has been the subject of many posts is the classic lean mean hunting machine. He was a farm kitten, ginger tabby with temperament to match. We have a railway embankment nearby and every morning the rats would be lined up on my neighbours’ patio. Unfortunately for them they are nearer the hunting ground and fortunately for Thomas they are cat lovers. I am sure they are relieved that now he is eighteen he has slowed down a little and they have fewer bodies to dispose of.

Fred on the other hand, (sadly he is no longer with us) would bring home live prey, squeezing his ample frame through the cat flap with a large toad in his mouth legs dangling, or maybe a mouse squeaking and very much alive, even on occasion a young rabbit. Several hours of curtain shaking and furniture moving would ensue before with Fred’s help we would find the frightened creature and put it outside, probably to be caught again the next night. Birds however did not fare so well and we learnt to keep him in at night so he was not outside when the birds were feeding in the early morning.

Larry however I think is a charmer and will smooth the difficulties of diplomatic discussion. Who could resist him? I think some practise with the catnip mouse might still be a good idea so he can at least pretend he knows how to hunt. I am sure the good folk at Battersea hope he will ingratiate himself with his new family before anybody calls his hunting abilities into question. It will be interesting to see how much white fur is clinging to those dark suits as they come out of No10.

Kats & Kits

The Diary of a Rural Cat Sanctuary

Character Cats

27 February 2011

On His Best Behaviour

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