Toffs, Torties and (Terrific) Timing
I have just witnessed my cat’s first encounter with a snake. Or, to be more realistic, I should probably say that this was the first time I have witnessed my cat’s encounter with a snake. Timing was of the essence…
…I was completely engrossed, tapping away at my laptop and making good progress with Trouble At Toff Towers II – Another Heap, when my partner, Mike, phoned from the golf course to say he had just finished playing but would be home later than expected. As I listened to what he had to say I stood up and was gazing absent mindedly through the window when I saw my cat, Bonnie, carrying in her mouth what could only be a snake and I knew instantly by its colouring that it was a poisonous one. I won’t repeat what I said at this point but my Mike, fully comprehending my horror, said he would come home instantly. He’d be about fifteen minutes.
In the meantime I watched in horror as Bonnie dropped the snake and began to play with it. It attempted to wriggle away – she dragged it back by the tail. The first thing I did was shut down the house in case she decided to bring the snake in. Then, unbelievably, I tweeted about it (analyse that)! I then ran outside to see if I could encourage her to leave the thing alone. No chance! I had a brainwave, ran indoors and quickly opened a tin of tuna. Normally the smell of tuna would bring Bonnie running from wherever she might be. I approached her (and the snake) mashing away noisily at the tuna in her metal bowl; trying to distract her. She wasn’t interested. I put some tuna down on the path near where she was toying with the snake and hoped she’d make a beeline for it, giving the snake a chance to slither away. She ignored the tuna and carried on teasing the snake. I was terrified that it would turn around and bite her at any moment. I felt very alone.
I decided to run to a neighbour’s house for help but there was nobody home. We live on a golf complex here in Cyprus and many of the houses are used as holiday homes. There was nobody else around. I made my way back home, dreading what I might find. As soon as I got back to the house I grabbed the bowl of tuna again and headed outside.
The tuna on the path was gone. I called Bonnie. She was still in the same part of the garden but now happily came walking towards me. I grabbed her clumsily, carried her indoors and quickly shut the fly screen behind me. I left Bonnie in the living room, went into the kitchen and put her bowl down expecting her to follow me. However, she made no attempt to go into the kitchen and eat the tuna. Was she already full up having eaten the snake? If so then what was going to happen next? I was just asking myself these questions when Mike walked through the door. I pointed him in the direction of where I had last seen the snake. It was still there; still very much alive. He went to find a spade.
Bonnie sat on the floor for a little while, had a bit of a wash then went to look out of the patio doors; clearly wondering where her playmate had gone. Eventually she scoffed the tuna and went upstairs for a nap. Mike has gone back to the golf club. I am sitting here with a glass of wine nursing two new “named injuries” - Snake Shoulder and Snake Spine (please see earlier blog entitled Toffs, Twitter and Trips). I wonder what @mishcousin will make of this.
…I was completely engrossed, tapping away at my laptop and making good progress with Trouble At Toff Towers II – Another Heap, when my partner, Mike, phoned from the golf course to say he had just finished playing but would be home later than expected. As I listened to what he had to say I stood up and was gazing absent mindedly through the window when I saw my cat, Bonnie, carrying in her mouth what could only be a snake and I knew instantly by its colouring that it was a poisonous one. I won’t repeat what I said at this point but my Mike, fully comprehending my horror, said he would come home instantly. He’d be about fifteen minutes.
In the meantime I watched in horror as Bonnie dropped the snake and began to play with it. It attempted to wriggle away – she dragged it back by the tail. The first thing I did was shut down the house in case she decided to bring the snake in. Then, unbelievably, I tweeted about it (analyse that)! I then ran outside to see if I could encourage her to leave the thing alone. No chance! I had a brainwave, ran indoors and quickly opened a tin of tuna. Normally the smell of tuna would bring Bonnie running from wherever she might be. I approached her (and the snake) mashing away noisily at the tuna in her metal bowl; trying to distract her. She wasn’t interested. I put some tuna down on the path near where she was toying with the snake and hoped she’d make a beeline for it, giving the snake a chance to slither away. She ignored the tuna and carried on teasing the snake. I was terrified that it would turn around and bite her at any moment. I felt very alone.
I decided to run to a neighbour’s house for help but there was nobody home. We live on a golf complex here in Cyprus and many of the houses are used as holiday homes. There was nobody else around. I made my way back home, dreading what I might find. As soon as I got back to the house I grabbed the bowl of tuna again and headed outside.
The tuna on the path was gone. I called Bonnie. She was still in the same part of the garden but now happily came walking towards me. I grabbed her clumsily, carried her indoors and quickly shut the fly screen behind me. I left Bonnie in the living room, went into the kitchen and put her bowl down expecting her to follow me. However, she made no attempt to go into the kitchen and eat the tuna. Was she already full up having eaten the snake? If so then what was going to happen next? I was just asking myself these questions when Mike walked through the door. I pointed him in the direction of where I had last seen the snake. It was still there; still very much alive. He went to find a spade.
Bonnie sat on the floor for a little while, had a bit of a wash then went to look out of the patio doors; clearly wondering where her playmate had gone. Eventually she scoffed the tuna and went upstairs for a nap. Mike has gone back to the golf club. I am sitting here with a glass of wine nursing two new “named injuries” - Snake Shoulder and Snake Spine (please see earlier blog entitled Toffs, Twitter and Trips). I wonder what @mishcousin will make of this.
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