Of Cats and Locusts

Gabby, my tabby cat, was out in the garden this morning. He's restricted to a fenced yard, and only has outdoor privileges when the dog and I are outside. He was exploring the catnip patch, a favorite pastime of his, when he saw wings fluttering in the grass. On the hunt, he took attack stance and crept up on the hapless critter.

Upon closer inspection, Gabby didn't know what to make of what he was seeing. Interested, I approached quietly and identified the prey as a locust. I expect they'll be abundant in the Midwest this year. I've seen a number of them already. This one was a beauty. With its transparent wings and shiny eyes, it was quite a presence in the grass. So much so, that Gabby thought better of attacking it and backed away.

Safely back in the house, he acted like a returning warrior. He and I both know differently though. The coward. For this round, the locust wins hands down. It must have looked like an invading alien to my pampered Gabby. We'll see what the next encounter brings.