Leo loves his pop-up cube: it has become his den, and he loves it when we dangle toys around it.


Our cat usually stays indoors, for a variety of reasons, our ridiculous climate being one, and his lack of street smarts being another. Years ago when I lived in Berkeley, where cats can live outdoors all year long, I spent too many Friday evenings taking a feisty male cat to the pet emergency clinic to want to have to deal with those head wounds they get when they try to defend their territory. But from time to time I am reminded that Leo is a mighty hunter.
When I take him out on the front lawn to hang out with him he chews grass and looks shifty-eyed at the squirrels. As soon as we get out there, the birds start yelling at him and sometimes a squirrel will scold. I got a reminder that all that play with his toys inside is really just a substitute for the real thing when we were getting ready to leave on our trip last week; we had his little Port-a-pet ready but he was out on the lawn. As I was walking toward him to put him in the carrier, I saw a sparrow dive-bomb him, and realized that he had a bird in his mouth. I could see it was still alive but holding still, and I reached to grab the back of his neck. He growled at me, but I pulled his head back and he let go of the bird. In an instant he had it pinned under his front paws. I pulled him back again and the bird was able to fly away, somewhat slowly, but surely. I hope it didn't have any puncture wounds and could recover, but I will never forget the sight of that mouthful of bird. He is so fast.He stayed for a week at the farm, but did not attack the guinea pigs or the pigeon! He loves the barn, and if it had any rodents, it doesn't now.