Hail the conquering hero

I must emphasize from the start of this that our cats Tuxedo and Pyewacket have NEVER NEVER NEVER been outside. Their little paws are pristine. They watch the world from perches on the table or the window sill. They are observers, not participants in the kitty antics beyond their door.

Which made what happened this morning really, really strange. Pyewacket presented us with a half-eaten bird.

My husband was walking out of the bathroom into our bedroom. "Uh oh," I heard him say. "I don't have my glasses on, but this doesn't look good."

Well, that'll make me put down the mascara and get a move on.

Sure enough, it didn't look good. Pyewacket had dumped a carcass, feathers and all in front of my vanity. There were more feathers and little-bitty body parts about. And blood. Not a lot, but enough to make me wonder where the decapitation had taken place because there wasn't any head in evidence.

Now the question uppermost in our minds was where did he acquire this? The doors were closed so it wasn't like the outside cats did a delivery and he pushed against the screen and took it. We've not noted any birds flying about the kitchen for him to tackle. I went downstairs to get the proper cleaning things and found the answer.

We have a window bird feeder. Pye has always, like his predecessors, liked to watch the birds dine. The other window beside the feeder is also an observation spot. Except this morning, the temptation was too great and someone swiped his big paw through the edge of the screen and grabbed a bit of brunch. The screen is torn and will have to be replaced.

The mighty hunter has prevailed--and I've closed the window. Now I just want to find the rest of the bird.