Murder on the Farm

Last week there was a murder on the farm. Not a pleasant declaration but there aint no pretty way of saying it. No accidental killing or tragic mishap here, but a callous premeditated crime with the most fatal of outcomes. After months of close shaves and narrow escapes, I regret to inform you all that the cat finally got it. Our dog, which cannot be named for legal reasons, is a breed of Irish wolfhound who had taken it upon his conscience that this particular cat was indeed his mortal enemy and must at all costs be vanquished.

I was first to arrive on the crime scene. The dog still had the live cat clasped between his jaws. But it was too late alas, as with his killer instinct he had already broken the cat’s fragile neck. Shouting at the dog, which quickly retreated, I advanced to where the cat lay enduring what must have been the last few agonising moments of its meagre existence. Mother was next to arrive on the scene and being more of expert in all matters feline, pronounced the cat dead on her arrival.

Family reactions varied. I was shocked and genuinely impressed that the dog had managed to catch the cat. Through all the years of seeing dogs chase cats, I'd never actually seen or heard of a dog that succeeded. Mother was saddened but not taken aback as she said the cat had been getting too brave. He knew the dangers of appearing near the house during daylight hours but had been risking it more and more as the days went by. My father, as usual, flew in a blind rage and sought to inflict immediate violent retribution on the dog. Cleverly the dog was well in hiding at this stage.

After the shock and sorrow subsided (which I admit didn’t take very long as I am not the greatest admirer of cats), came the inevitable question; why? Why did our dog feel threatened by an animal about one twentieth of its size? He is normally so passive and even tempered. Was it a territorial thing? Surely the farmyard was big enough for them to co-exist? Apparently Wolfhounds are gentle, friendly dogs of a sensitive nature. So did we land some nasty cross breed dysfunctional killing machine? Was this a once off crime or do we need to address the more sinister nature of our dog’s personality?

The dog is now on serious probation. If he even looks sideways at any human with the contempt he held for the cat, he’s a goner. As for the deceased cat, which shall ever be remembered as the Black Cat – he never received a formal name. He was buried in a field alongside a recently deceased hen. May they rest in peace.

** Please note that the hen died of natural causes and that the dog has been in no way implicated in the hen’s unfortunate demise.

Published by Dae.