Raphael's bad week

Vance heard Raphael calling Monday morning, so he went to see what the cat wanted, and the cat wanted a witness because he was about to barf. (Well, the dog thinks it’s cool, he says, so why not Vance?) His effort was not appreciated. After I got up, Raphael was trying to make amends for his earlier faux pas, and right after I got my coffee I heard him calling, making the dreaded muffled call (dreaded because if his call is muffled, it’s usually because he’s dragging some poor dead thing, or even worse, some poor half dead thing. Sure enough, here he comes into the dining room with some large critter handing out of his mouth—I tried to shoo him out but he dropped it and it was a bunny, and not even an injured one, judging from the way it took off immediately. Smart bunny found the front door right off, thankfully, with both cats in pursuit, followed by me, then by Vance, who headed Raphael off by throwing a boot at him. Raphael gave up then, and allowed himself to be wrestled down and put inside, and after a minute Luigi also became captive. I never saw where the bunny went; hope it didn’t die of fright or injuries somewhere on the porch. Raphael also vanished, but he has paths out of the house that only he knows about. He was pissed and his feelings were hurt. He said it was meant as a great present. I believe him; he NEVER shares rabbits with us.

Then Tuesday I went outside and there was something hanging out of Betsy’s mouth. I told her to drop it and it was another damn bunny. I scooted it into a flowerpot and figured it was not long for this world but could at least die in peace. Betsy walked around looking for it and Raphael appeared and was searching for something too, so maybe Betsy stole it from him. (I have no idea what she thought she was doing, whether she wanted to eat a snack or move a puppy. Hard to tell.) An hour later the bunny was lurching around in the flowerpot trying to find its way out. I couldn't let it go, though, because its eyes weren’t open and if I put a blind bunny down anywhere near this house, I might as well just give it directly to the cat. So after some calling around I got in touch with an animal rehabber who said she would take it. I was worried no one would since my vet once said a wildlife rehabber told him rabbits were “nature’s snack food.” The rehabber I found is affiliated with a group called ARK. She said she had a bunch of other rabbits the same age as this one, so he was going to have buddies while waiting for his eyes to open. She was impressed with how fat he was. Of course, it is rabbit Club Med in the woods behind us.

Still trying to make things up to us, Raphael on Wednesday night was heard out in the yard making the dreaded muffled cry, and I hopped up to get the door shut before he made it in, and TOO LATE! We met just inside the door and he flung a LIVE BAT at my feet. It immediately took flight right at me. I ducked; chaos ensued. There has been such a problem with rabies in Henrico County this year—foxes attacking children and what have you—and I don’t touch barehanded anything Raphael brings up, even the sweet little bunnies, because you never know, but now there was a bleeding bat flying around the house. Great. He settled down really quick over a doorway—I think he was pretty hurt, poor bat.

It took a while and the sacrifice of a couple of blankets (at least we had a few ripped up ones) but we got the bat snared in a blanket and took him outside. He had enough energy left to fly right at me again when we unrolled the blanket. Ick. I doubt he survived.

We have been much more careful about making sure the screen door is shut all the way since then. We had been out of cat treats and I think, on reflection, that Raphael was trying to negotiate some new treats from me by bringing me the cool stuff he caught. I got new treats and he hasn’t tried to drag anything new in the house since.


In other news, the lilies look great this year. I will post some garden pics soon. And I have begun ripping up the sporadic pavers and concrete in the yard so I can make a sidewalk.