The ferals are enjoying a seasonal playtoy/snack

[Siwsan]

I'm pretty sure they are Cicada. We watched one shed its exoskeleton, a couple of weeks ago. While we were watching, Skittish started stalking behavior, pounced, and walked off with SOMETHING in her mouth. We could see these big insect wings flapping away.

Just now I stepped outside to see another feral doing the exact same thing, except instead of grabbing it and running off, he played with it, picking it up in his mouth, dropping it, swatting it around and then repeating the game. The little kittens were fascinated.

There's another one, right now, hanging off of a kibble bag I was using to collect trash from around the property. Now I don't want to move it until the molting process is done. It is an amazing process to watch so maybe I'll get to see it again.

[wcmagumba]

1. A friends doggos used to snack on cicadas when they caught them...funny, just not for the cicada..nt

[wnylib]

2. This is why I am glad that domestic cats are domestic.

Much as I love cats, I know that they are killing machines that play with their food. It's one thing to see a pet or feral cat behaving like its wild ancestors, but something else to know that, with a wild cat, you would be on the plaything menu.

Many years ago my husband and I were having a quiet evening at home, each of us reading something. Our cat discovered a grasshopper that had somehow slipped inside, maybe via a screen or on our clothing. We first noticed it when the cat was in stalking mode. The grasshopper got very still, maybe a playing dead defense? The cat nudged it until it jumped, then swatted it down, but not hard enough to squish it.

This went on for several minutes. Nudge, block movement, release. Just as I turned to my husband and said that we should rescue the grasshopper, there was a crunching sound. When I looked at the cat, there was a grasshopper leg dangling from his mouth.

[Siwsan]

3. My indoor fur babies LOVE to go after 'sky raisins'

Most flies don't stand a chance, although it can be startling when they are all going after the same prey.

[2naSalit]

5. They are kitties after all.

They have to have a down side somewhere.

Now I have to tell the Story of Ratlo the Cat.

Hot summer night in a house in a SoCal arroyo having a party, mid 1970s. Ratlo was a feral who had taken to a couple of the residents and was allowed in the house since the windows were almost always open.

In the corner of one of the sitting rooms there is a table and a widow on each wall, a large lamp on the table. The partyers are all doing their thing, and people are sitting near the table in the corner when suddenly Ratlo appears. Nobody saw him come in but he was suddenly sitting directly under the lamp with some gawdawful looking, giant bug! It was laughable how large it was, some kind of beetle. Ratlo just sat there with is prey until everyone acknowledged then slipped out one of the windows. He had made his statement and that's all he needed.

It was the conversation piece of the night along with the fodder for many jokes. Ratlo was cool.

[Siwsan]

6. They do like to show off, that's for sure

This particular feral never lets me get close, but he did tonight. I think he was showing off.

[2naSalit]

7. Probably.

Had a trophy and everyone should notice.

[scarletlib]

9. Just making his contribution to the party.

[thatcrowwoman]

8. Pouncers gotta pounce and play.

Mighty hunters practicing for just in case.
Isn’t it interesting to see them learn and grow?!
Each one teach one, eh?
🕊thatcrowwoman