8.27.2008

Rough Neighborhood


I've found one of the above holes in my window screen in the last few months. The obvious correlation was that they only appeared in the screens of the windows that I keep open in the summer months for the cats to sit in. However, my cats (for reasons unrelated to me) do not have front claws, so it wasn't like they were clawing to get out. I had no idea where they came from, so I just closed that window and opened a different one (in case it was the cats trying to get out). A few nights ago, I heard an angry yowling and came out of my room just in time to figure out what was going on -- a neighborhood bully cat was trying to jump in the window to (I assume) attack my cats. He obviously does have claws and he's ripping the screen as he hangs on before dropping off again (that's where the second photo is from). Son of a bitch. It's things like these that make me glad my boys don't go wandering around the neighborhood by themselves!

11 comments:

Mummy Grabill said...

Holey Moley! I've never heard of a cat trying to do that! What kind of night-of-the-living-dead cats do you have in that neighborhood!? I have visions of cats coming at your house like it's "I am Legend" - scary.

vince said...

I'm afraid that the neighborhood bully cat would either 1) not be long for this world if it was feral (feral cats can rarely be domesticated - usually humane societies have to put them to sleep), or 2) if it was a pet, the owners would hear from me with a bill for replacing the screens and a warning about what would happen if their cat was ever on my property doing damage again.

Glad your boys are safe inside.

Mummy Grabill said...

I second what Vince sense, very sensible.

Anne C. said...

The trick is figuring out which cat it is. There is a black cat that comes by at night and agitates my boys by sitting on the deck 'til I go out and chase him away, but it might not be the same one. So, first I'd have to catch him at it, see him well enough to be able to recognize him, and then figure out which family "owns" him (if, in fact, he belongs to someone).
Tricky.

mattw said...

Two words: electrified screen.

That must be some kind of monster cat trying to get into your house. Are you sure it's not a werecat?

It might be more effort (or money) than your willing to expend, but there are mountable, motion activated digital cameras that you could set out at night and the cats would set it off, for identification purposes. They don't always work, but I know hunters and nature observers use them to monitor animals in the wild/at night.

Random Michelle K said...

Two words:

Water. Hose.

Anne C. said...

Oooh, I like that idea. I'll have to figure out the logistics, though, since the screens are not convenient to the the hose.

Hmmmmm...

belsum said...

Weird. I do have a cat that goes outside - but I think she's the only one in the neighborhood. Hell, she's probably trying to bully her way into other people's houses! She's been leaving us presents, too.

Stacey said...

grabill - you crack me up....anne - holy schnikies. I can't believe it.

Anonymous said...

Anne, go by a toys-r-us or other large toy store, if they still have summer toys, and get one of the high-powered pump-action squirtguns. They shoot a fat stream 30-40 feet - and that's a nice substitute for a hose. :)

And too sad on the bully cat. Some people's kids!

Anne C. said...

Great idea, Jeri! Thanks, I think I'll do that.