Mischief, secrecy, allure- a few cat traits with special powers.
They prowl at night, sometimes with companions, but mostly alone.
It is in their nature to hunt.
They can sense with their ears, eyes, and noses even the slightest of moves.
They slink with padded paws and claws retracted. They spot their prey and get into position.
They hunch down to maximize their spring, their long jump.
Their whiskers twitch, emitting a low, barely audible, grumble or growl, their mental preparation for battle.
They make their move suddenly with claws in air, outstretched to the max.
Unsuspecting prey will fall swiftly trapped within claws and paws.
With a cat in the garden all rodents must be on high alert.
Birds must stay in the air, high enough to avoid a cat’s high powered leap.
The birds are experienced with tracking the cat’s every move. The young and old are the most at risk.
Cat kills or trophies are often left in the most visible of places–a silent brag, a warning to all. It is the cat’s territorial claim.
Once the hunter within is satisfied, they turn on their disguise. They clean themselves up and find a nice warm spot to stretch out and relax.
They turn on their purrrrrr and look as innocent as can be.
*This poem was inspired by recent events in my garden. KJHK
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