Now that the kids are back in Dunedin, and it's just me and wifey around, the cats have become more affectionate - either that or the Christchurch cold has driven them to sleep on our bed. The boy Bengal in particular has come out of his shell and almost lets me pick him up - but he likes scratchy pats when lying in the sun. Pecking order is hard to pick, but I think he submitted to the younger black stray that the kids found in the forest, but still chases his sister around the house in a mad fit of zoomies.
He started small.
But over time he managed to master jumping on to the roof, then on to the neighbour's roof - and then, somehow, on to the second story of the neighbour's roof - so he had good visibility of all he ruled over. And at times, he ruled with an iron fist. One day, the lady from across the road came to the door with a fist full of feathers claiming that our monster had decimated her native birds. To be fair, we did see him pacing through the reserve one day with what looked like a large bird in his mouth, only to pull up the driveway to find most of a rabbit (missing a very bird looking leg).
I don't think he's the one delivering Uber Eats in the form of (usually) dead rats in through the cat door. I suspect the recent wet weather has drawn them out of the swale across the road from the reserve. We woke this morning to find only two cats on the bed - the black panther, and Zena the girl Bengal. And a dead rat in the hallway. The black cat sniffed at it, wondering how it got there. Zena meowed. No sign of Rhaegar.
I fed them and drove off to work (after disposing of the rat of course). Checking the telemetry on the cat door from time to time to see if he had come in for a feed, but strangely nothing. Driving home, I had a missed call from the landline - only two minutes away, so I didn't reply.
I walked in to find Mrs StN very upset and on the phone. She'd just got back last week from nursing her mum post a knee op, so I hoped nothing untoward had happened. "No" she said, "it's Rhaegar."
Facebook and the locals had mentioned they had found a dead cat next to the Vodaphone kiosk in the reserve, just next to the road, and across from where I think the rats come from. She had thought nothing of it until it was mentioned it may be a Bengal. She broke down and a chap offered to help, but she socially distanced that straight away and picked him up and carried him back home.
He was cold and stiff - telemetry indicates he left home mid afternoon yesterday, and I don't recall him coming in the front door, so it could have happened any time after that.
When I got home, both of the other cats were approaching with trepidation. Zena was howling inconsolably. Shadow was confused. We popped him in the car and dropped him at the vet for cremation.
Then the hard bit hit - Daughter had tested positive this morning, so was isolating. Son was picking her up a curry and prescription meds - and his partner is isolating up north some where. We scheduled a call at 6:15 under the premise that we needed to make sure they were Ok with the Covid situation. We knew it would hit them hard, and that even though they were less than 100m away from each other, they would have to process this alone.
It was the hardest Facetime call ever.
Shit - I called them kids - they are both in their 20s now.
Someone else post some pics please.
Master of Catnip
Majestic in pose
The softest glitter-gene caramel fur
Fearless in the face of pink feathers.
Just don't take on a car mate. You used to be so good following me around the block, but not crossing the road. Walking me back up the cul-de-sac.
I will miss you young puss - 2 weeks shy of your 5th birthday.