Friends, I have had some time to prepare for my latest tiger imitation. This particular imitation took longer than usual due to the inaccessibility of the plants in my habitat. All of the snow and rain of late, made me long for sunny days when the grass is green and the trees have leaves. One thing led to another and I now proudly present to you my Tiger Eyes through the Leaves imitation.
Our big cat cousins are skilled masters of the hide and ambush method of hunting prey. Here in the imitation you might imagine these tigers watching carefully for the right time to spring into action. Those of you that share your homes with small domestic felines, like myself, might have experienced the “tiger” ambush. Have you ever been walking through your home when your ankle was attacked with tiny claws and teeth? How about the shock when a house cat decides to jump on your back from on top of a strategically placed piece of furniture?
I used to leap off of a book shelve onto my mom’s back when she would walk by in the old habitat. Sometimes I would hide on top of the hutch in the kitchen and swat her in the head as she walked by. She didn’t find it as amusing as I did for some reason. Now that we have moved into our new habitat, it seems the furniture placement is skewed in favor of my parents. ~sigh~
When we play tiger attack with our parents, it is all mostly for fun. When our big cousins stalk and pounce, it is serious business. The tiger will raise and lower its head, judging the distance, calculating the angle before taking off in a full pursuit of its prey. Tigers try to get as close to their prey as possible. This skillful dance almost appears to take place in slow motion as the tiger might take more than 15 minutes to cover ground which would only take one minute at a normal stride.
I must admit that my hunting skills are rusty. I did not learn how to hunt from my mother, and my parents hunt for me. They go outside and come back with a bounty of Low allergen z/d and duck and pea. But still, I get the urge for the occasional ankle attack and well, you know how I love to leap into the plants and throw dirt.
Now, back to our Tiger Eyes through the Leaves. I think I have captured the intensity of the tiger stare. We are both partially hidden by the leaves. Can you tell which is me, Gracey, The Tiniest Tiger? I know I have made this super difficult for you. But can you answer whether I am on the left or the right? There is no harm in trying. Good Luck!
Hmmm – they both look like you Gracey, just don’t know how to choose…
When my male cat (Sly) has had a bit o’catnip, he sometimes scrunches down low under the bed and waits for my female cat (Fly) to walk by. When he thinks it’s the right moment (something only cats can calculate), he’ll bounce out from under the bed and the two of them will commence wrestling. After a bit of that, Fly will jump up on my bureau and hiss and growl at him (which doesn’t bother him at all). After a few minutes have gone by, she’ll groom herself (must have every hair in place – never know when People Magazine might show up) and resume her wandering around the house. Sometimes, if they’ve done this several times, she’ll come up on the bed and sleep beside me. It’s nice to reach out and find a warm, furry cat that gives you kitty kisses in the middle of the night.
I don’t know Gracey. I feel like I’m being watched but I’m not sure who is there. So long as neither of you decide to eat me for lunch I think I’m ok.