The Brooding Tiger

Journal On! July Prompt Board

Pet Photo Day was July 11th. Snap a photo of your pet. How photogenic is your pal? Write about your pet’s smile and pose. 

A Brooding Tiger

Everyone—the squirrels, birds and bunnies live harmoniously in the backyard. The bird feeder is constantly busy with sparrows, blue jays, chickadees pulling seeds from the tiny holes. Squirrels and doves forged below for dropped morsels. They share a splashing and sips of water from the birdbaths. Occasionally there is a squabble, perhaps a challenge for a place at the feeder, but it is harmless twittering. Everyone gets along—everyone except Hershey, the cat. 

Hershey is a pampered domestic feline, guaranteed a full belly and warm cushion choices through the house. But he claims the yard as his domain and considers all who trespass at his mercy. Although Hershey blends into the fauna, stalks and shows his teeth and claws, he is not a skilled tiger. The squirrels escape with lightning speed and the birds lift beyond Hershey’s claws. The baby bunnies, however, scream during a chase and the house wren screeches with anxiety. 

The last baby bunny suffered and succumbed to the cat attack as the birds and squirrels called out last pleas. I suspect the bluejays and grackles felt horrified and rightly feared for their fledgling chicks with this tiger-bully skulking the yard. They needed a plan.

One afternoon, as Hershey surveyed behind a flower pot, blue jays dive bombed his head and grackles attacked his rear. They swooped and cawed, terrorizing the cat. Two crows circled above. Hershey pawed and mewed at the door, begging to be let in. He licked wounds for days, hissing at me for attempting to help him. 

Since the incident, Hershey avoids outside. If he slips out the door with his human, he hides under the grill and hugs the outside walls. The grackles and blue jays squawk when the back door opens, scaring Hershey back into the safety of the house. 

Before the reckoning, the cat had an arrogant and entitled personality. He strutted through the house, lurked in corners waiting for any open door, hissing at anyone in his way. Being a nice kitty was never his MO. He frequently bit or scratched his favorite human if a petting session lasted too long or if the back door was not opened upon his demand. 

We adopted Hershey in his kittenhood almost eight years ago. He was the last of the litter and his feral mom-cat was no longer interested in him. She wanted to go back to the outside and leave the nurturing of her tiresome kitten to an unsuspecting human. As an eight-week old kitty, Hershey did not like to purr on my lap, eat with anyone watching, or play with feathers on a string. I’ve had aloof cats before, but they always came around, appreciated the love and care as well as an aloof cat can, and never bit or scratched. Hershey has been a challenge. 

These days, Hershey sulks on top of my papers and phone. He sits on the windowsills and my work table staring at the backyard activity. The blue jays seem to aim their chatter at him. The house wren is constantly scolding. He swipes at my hand trying to soothe him with an ear rub.  I suspect Hershey believes he is the innocent victim of bullying and prefers not to be soothed.

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