Accidental animal crueltyI once invented a brilliant game - I'd sit at the top of the stairs and throw cat biscuits to the bottom. My cat would eat them, then I'd shake the box, and he would run up the stairs for more biscuits. Then - of course - I'd throw a biscuit back down to the bottom. I kept this going for about half an hour, amused at my little game, and all was fine until the cat vomited. I felt absolutely dreadful.
Have you accidentally been cruel to an animal?
This question has been revived from way, way, way back on the b3ta messageboard when it was all fields round here.
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rob, Thu 6 Dec 2007, 11:13)
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Ex-partner's catwas somewhat terrified of _everything_. Shadows, reflections, loud noises, afternoons of silence, sunbeams, helium, quarks - absolutely everything that may or may not even exist, it was terrified of.
Now this one night we'd been to the village pub and had a number of fine ales. Chased down with a possibly greater number of crap ales, and maybe even a couple of hastily-slurped lagers in between last orders and closing time.
Back at her place, and this photogenic yet terrified moggie is wandering around aimlessly, slightly terrified at the motion of air molecules we've caused by our entrance. And in a similar aimless manner, I started playing with my house-keys, noticing that the cat started nervously when they jingled.
And I had an idea.
My keys were on one of those spring-loaded clip affairs - the type of thing you can use to attach a keyring to a belt loop. And, as it was early spring, the cats had recently been fitted with flea collars.
I gently reached out and snapped the keyring clip around the flea collar.
The first half-minute or so was uneventful. The cat was hunkered down, apprehensive at unaccustomed weight dragging at its neck.
Then it moved, jangling the keys.
This upset the cat, which then tried to run away from the source of the noise.
It went hurtling up and down the stairs, and passed through the large living room at least twice, getting more and more terrified. Finally with a thump, it bounced off the kitchen door and lay there, stunned.
I was crying with laughter at this point, but realised the fun was over. I caught the cat and regained my keys.
She was a good cat (died of a seizure many years on in an unrelated incident). RIP.
(, Fri 7 Dec 2007, 1:35, Reply)
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