Re: Safe?

John Schestag ( AAARPTRADEUSA@webtv.net )
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 22:09:24 -0500 (EST)

Barb and all,
I'm afraid to live trap her because of the huge racoons that would break
in the trap and kill her. Also, we had a rattle snake caught here
several years ago (Eastern Diamondback, the largest) who had a measured
girth of 17" due to a recently swallowed rabbit. I didn't believe my
mom when she told me about it on the phone while I was in Los Angeles.
A big snake would love a trapped kitty. Out in some of the suburbs in
California my friend's neighbors have all lost large cats or poodles to
the big owls. One lady opened her garage door via the remote and her
cat came to the car door and an owl flew part way into her garage and
picked up the cat without a sound. The realtors failed to warn them
about the owls and coyotes on the prowl at night.

She sent me the newspaper clippings of the huge snake and the owls and
coyotes. My folks also had 4 gators taken out of our lake and one was 7
feet. We had a native Bobcat that has long left the area due to town
growth. In Saratoga, California I lived on a 45 acre horse riding ranch
on a mountain overlooking the Santa Clara valley and we had two bobcat
and domestic cat mixed kittens. Tiger a go go and Whiskey a go go.
They had little stump tails and golden eyes. You can tell it was in the
60's by their names.

I wasn't a hippie, but took courses at Stanford and also lived on an
ancient houseboat in Sausalito called the Omega Too when it wasn't chic
and fashionable. A boxer named Max was playing with the bobcat kittens
for months and they seemed OK and one day Max was playing and picked up
one kitten and did the quick shake with his head and the kitten died.
We were all devistated.

Their sweet meows were like little lion cub "barks". They had little
pointed and tufted ears and long rear legs. They ran along with me when
I fed the horses. Such sorrow and heartache. Think how a family must
feel when a pet dog turns on their little children.

I also feel down today because my dear cat loving mom went to our Lord
three years ago this morning and so did a little angel cat within
minutes, named Sophie that I hope is sitting on her lap while my dad
brings my mom her morning cup of coffee. There, now I feel better as
that was a nice happy mental picture I just focused on.

Good evening to you all, John