This week I have used photos from another source (see below for credits).
It's finally summer and the body count is rising exponentially here. This past week I was able to observe and photograph Zorro while he hunted. I posted that here and here and at Flickr. Today I thought I would share with you the mammals that my cats catch in the meadows and woods of Vermont The cats catch, between all of them, only about one bird per summer. Birds are much more difficult to catch. Why catch a bird when the mammals are so plentiful and easy to get?
White-footed Mouse
Jumping Woods MouseZorro caught a Meadow Jumping Mouse this evening. They are much larger and lighter in color.
Field Mouse
Vole
Vole
Shrew
Star-nosed MoleBelow: a Brown Bat like the one the cats wanted to catch two summers ago:
Most photos are from mammalwatching.com.
I hope you all have a delightful week. It's summertime!
_/\_/\_
Very interesting! My cats are indoors, so all they catch are the kids little stuffed toys.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of (or seen) a Star-Nosed Mole before. What an odd-looking creature!
We seem to be following each other around the cat blogs this evening!
The pictures and stories here are great -- so much fun to see the cats in action! Yes, these gentle creatures turn into wild predators at times, as you intimated in the post about Zorro catching the mouse. What scares me is when the cats become prey for even bigger predators here where I live, so mine have to stay inside where I know they are safe, especially since they turn neurotic and run and hide from me if they go outside. It's too bad -- your kitties look so pretty in the green grass!
ReplyDeleteThat bat doesn't look too impressed at all. Oscar used to catch rats, mice, skinks and the odd small snake and once, a toad, which he brought into my bedroom!
ReplyDeleteThose are some wicked teeth on that bat! I wouldn't want the cats to meet up with him! Do your cats bring their catch to you as a present? And of course you are really pleased with that! ;)
ReplyDeleteMy heart bleeds always when my cats (especially Pookie) come home with a mouse. I find them so cute ! She also honored us one day with a baby mole, but bats no, they don't exist here in my area ! Very beautiful picture btw !
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I found an injured bat when I was a little girl and nursed it back to health.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've heard and seen a photo of a vole. It's cute.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that star-nosed mole looks intimidating.
I've never held a bat before. You're very brave.
Wow, you catch lots and lots of things! We are so jealous!!
ReplyDeleteHehe...mommy nearly screamed seeing the bat up close like that, we dunno why tho, the bat looks just the same as the mousies....
~Donny, Marie, Casey
That star nosed vole makes me quesy! Yuck! What great photos...my cats love to hunt too. Especially the male who visits the meadows and brings us back field mice. If a bat ever shows up at my door I think I'll pass out!
ReplyDeleteWow, all of you are very good hunters! I'm an indoor-only cat, so I've only ever caught catnip mice. I've never seen a real, live rodent. My humans do wonder what I would ever do if I came across a real, live mouse.
ReplyDeleteWell, I had to hide the screen from Felicia - she at once was attacking;))
ReplyDeleteYikes! The bats the scarriest thing to think about your cat hunting.
ReplyDeleteI hope they deliver live presents you can release? Thanks for visiting us in Malaysia. Love your blog and adding it to our favourites!.
ReplyDeleteThey can come here and kill all the mammels they want!
ReplyDeleteThe mice and moles are cute, but that bat! He looks like something out of a horror movie. I had no idea they looked that ugly and vicious.
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