My seasonal allergies plague me all year, but they saved the day for a cute little squirrel who was caught in the sights of a cat poised to attack. That same cat, it turns out, had committed the deadly deed only days before.

This will take a little explaining.

The gray tabby is a community cat, but my wife and I adopted her and called her “Baby.” She loved to hang around our place, and stop around daily for a nice little pet, meowing and purring to our attentive touches. That’s the kind and quiet side of Baby.

But instincts run deep, and there’s an aggressive side to this feline, with a lot of her energy directed at the squirrel population in our little neighborhood.

That became abundantly clear one day when we found a squirrel corpse at our doorstep. We wondered how in the world the deceased rodent could have been deposited there. Then we remembered reading that cats like to bring home trophies to the humans they love and cherish.

Baby was suspect number one. No need for an all-points bulletin to determine the real culprit!

Days later, I was petting Baby in the parking lot when a juvenile squirrel, with little experience dealing with the feline crowd, was nosing around for something to store away for winter, and paid no mind to the lurking presence of Baby nearby.

The little squirrel had made a strategic miscalculation because Baby was between her and the nearest tree. I thought, “Here we go again. This little squirrel’s fate is sealed.” Baby took up a stalking posture and appeared ready to pounce, with no reaction from little “Rocky.”

Just then, my allergies hit me hard and I sneezed violently, causing both animals to flee the scene, with Baby running behind me and away from the squirrel, and Rocky sprinting for the tree, alive and well.

So, you see, I am the hero of this tale. But I’m not 100% sure that one of Rocky’s clan might not end up on our doorstep soon.

Ron Cooper ©2024