(AF) New Cat Toy

I was sitting here Thursday afternoon yacking with Dave for a few minutes on the phone when all of a sudden I yelled, "Oh, my gosh! A snake! The cat has a big ole snake!" In my frantic excitement, I didn't mention that I was looking out the window..... I hadn't said that the cat and the snake were OUTSIDE. Poor Dave, I hope I didn't worry him too badly.

It was December 1st .... it is sooo unusual to see a snake here this time of year! And this one was really lively. Dave asked me what kind it was, but I had no clue. I still don't. Phone in hand, I ran out the door to check it out, grabbing my old pitch fork on the way. The cat did NOT want me coming near his prize catch! I'm not sure which I was more afraid of, the snake or that cat's growl! But since the snake had a very strong, triangular shaped head, and was still very much alive, I wanted to make sure I disabled its ability to bite my baby. Phone set down and on speaker so Dave could instantly hear if I got bit, cat warning me not to come near his fine catch, and several other cats and chickens quickly approaching for their share, I nervously cringed as I chased the snakes head around in an effort to spear the snake's mouth shut with the pitch fork tong. The cat was not at all happy with my interference!

The cat had created a weak spot in the center of the shake where he had been biting it. Now, as the cat tried to grab it from me, the chickens also ran up and grabbed the end of the snake's tail, pulling against each other and snapping it in two. The chickens hurriedly ran off and gobbled down their stolen, giant worm snack before the cat could retrieve it. As the cat ran after them, other cats moved in for their 'turn'. Even after it absolutely had to be dead, that creepy snake wiggled and squirmed for the longest, giving the cats the most fun Cat Toy they have had in awhile.

I don't like snakes.  They scare me and give me the creeps and the willies. But it fascinates me how they continue to move and react, even after you think they have to be dead. One time, my daughter and I killed a really big one that had come after us. We chopped its head off and moved it a few feet over, way away from its body. What was so fascinating was, every time we touched the snake's tail, its mouth started opening and closing. And every time we poked at the head with the shovel, his tail wiggled, yet, the two parts were no longer connected and several feet apart! I have yet to figure out how this works.

more pics here

Mine! You can't have it!

Stealing their share of the snake.