Another Cat
She looked at her pet twice. She was now aware of the cause of his commotion. He then let forth a spine-tingling yowl. When she turned her head to the side, she saw that the cat outside her window wasn't a stray.
What did it want, though? Was her cat at risk? To find out, she would have to wait.
Spoiled Rotten
Waffles is a regular domestic cat who receives lavish care. He had never spent much time outside the house, but when he brought home an unforeseen love interest, he was about to give his owner the scare of a lifetime.
What precisely does she think of this feral cat?
Evolution
When compared to how dogs have evolved, domesticated house cats still share many traits with their wild counterparts.
The majority of cats still have the freedom to roam anywhere they like, whenever they please, and most significantly, to see whomever they please. And this is where many cats hide their secret lives.
Their Differences
Cats have not evolved in the same way as the beloved dog, which makes them less reliant on humans for sustenance.
Despite not having been bred to choose us, the humble housecat chose us - and perhaps that brings us the most joy. Having something unexpected befriend them is even more exciting.
The Opposite Is True
Despite the misconception that cats are not particularly social animals, the opposite is actually true.
Friends can be found all throughout the area for both cats and dogs. Your unknowing neighbor, a different dog or cat, or even a different species could fall under this category. Here's when Waffles enters the picture.
Meet Waffles
Because Waffles still possesses the skills of his ancestor, an excellent predator, he can hunt in the silence of the night in almost complete darkness.
It seemed that his late-night skulking around the house has produced something that would astound his owner. It only required a quick glance out the window and a curious stride toward the approaching creature.
Caught Her Eye
Despite not knowing when the incident began, his owner noticed an orange cat pacing in front of a living room window.
They initially assumed it was a vague interest in the nearby birds or rabbits. But after carefully observing Waffle's, they realized this wasn't the case. But the truth will eventually surface in just a few more hours.
Company
It was a bit of a shock to hear Waffles, who is usually pretty quiet, making a lot of noise and meowing nonstop as you descend the stairs. But what followed was a moment that stopped everybody in their tracks – a mix of dread and astonishment.
Waffles was laying peacefully next to a large, spotted cat that was pressed up against the windowpane outside.
Strange Behavior
Emma had no idea a small house cat would want to be in such close proximity to another cat when she stumbled upon this unusual scene. She once brought several shelter kittens into the house to foster for a few days, and Waffles threw a total tantrum.
It was a picture of a cat having a good time, purring and chatting up a new acquaintance. It won't take long for him to want to meet in person.
Unpredictable
Emma wasn't at all certain that was a smart idea, though. She was aware that cats may exhibit various emotions at once, ranging from sweetness to spitting and hissing. There was a reason people referred to as a "catfight."
Waffles getting hurt was the last thing she wanted. Later, she discovered that the cat outside wasn't actually a cat.
Better Together
Infinitely curious about the larger cat outside, Waffles spent all of his time following the pretty big bobcat around the house, jumping up onto window sills and quickly running to the doors to follow her wherever she went, and amazingly she always came back to him.
Until one fateful day.
Cold Weather
It was a freezing cold day, with more snow forecast when the beautiful female bobcat didn’t come back to visit Waffles. He spent his days restlessly moving from one window to another, never settling down for long in order to keep up his vigil for his now departed mate.
Emma wondered what had happened to her and hoped she was okay.
Missing His Friend
Time passed and Winter soon became Spring. Waffles had been pretty miserable throughout the colder months and Emma started to worry about his health as well as his broken heart.
He was losing a lot of weight and she knew she had to act quickly to save him. The vet would know what to do, surely.
Deep Depression
Emma was gutted, the vet, having put Waffles on a mood enhancer to combat the depression, still wasn’t eating what he should be.
You could find him sitting on his windowsill overlooking the back garden where he had first met his wild bobcat friend, what was she going to do if the bobcat was gone for good?
New Arrivals
One day, Waffles started meowing loudly at the window and standing with his front paws against the glass. Rushing down to see if the bobcat could be back, came Emma with a camera in hand. Waffles was ecstatic and happily rubbing up against the windowpane. There outside was his lady bobcat, laying lazily in the dappled sunshine as only cats, big or small, do.
But another surprise was creeping out of the bushes. Would Waffles be happy about what was about to happen next? Emma held her breath and watched.
Playground
Waffles and Emma watched in amazement as one, two, three tawny kittens came bounding out of the bushes, with not a care in the world. It’s as though their mother had told them that this place was safe and that Waffles was indeed a friend.
Emma watched her cat intently, waiting to see what his reaction would be.
Home Sweet Home
On its home turf, the typical bobcat will claim at least two or three different shelters. The most frequently used is called the “natal” den, which is often a cave or rocky cave-like opening, but in this case, it seemed to be Waffles’ backyard.
It clearly was the purrfect place to raise a family.
A Safe Place
Mother bobcats also have ‘auxiliary’ dens spread throughout their territories which could span anywhere between 1 to 18 square miles in size. She could move her babies from one den to another as often as she needed to keep other predators off the scent of her little ones.
Emma was a little proud to be able to offer such good accommodation.
Cute Kittens
Emma was thrilled that the lady bobcat was back and even more so that Waffles was so back to his old self again. He seemed more than happy to have three extra wild friends to watch grow up and who could blame him?
They were the cutest baby bobcats Emma had ever seen, although that mainly involved what she had watched on TV documentaries.
Amazing Nature
Emma was initially concerned that Waffles would still want to get out and actually meet the big wildcat face to face, but he seemed more than content to lie pressed against the window pane and live vicariously through his wild family.
Being chosen by wildlife is an honor many people don’t receive.
Relaxing At Home
Emma realized this through her domesticated house cat and his love of this potentially dangerous creature. Luckily Emma realizes that Waffles, as much as he loves the bobcat, is not prepared to deal with such strength so he will remain inside, and they can both watch the family grow up and thrive.
If you think that friendship was strange, this next one will blow your mind.
Cat Lady
Angela Grana adored her snow-white kitty, Baby. They would spend every night cuddling on the sofa and watching their favorite shows on television. There were plenty of happy moments.
However, her fur baby still had plenty of salt and vinegar in her personality. It was this very thing that had made Angela put off getting another pet.
Wanting Another Pet
While cats, dogs, and birds were staples of home companionship in many households across the globe, Angela’s oddball side wanted something a little different.
But it was after her initial research that she found the combination wasn’t the safest. All it would take was a single bite, and she would be rushing to the vet, drenched in tears.
Dangerous Combo
This is because, especially to her intended pet, cat bites are full of bacteria a single nip can cause infections.
Add on top of that kitties have a natural instinct to hunt, and the new pet would definitely be something to chase if there was no bond formed. So, what was the animal in question?
Loving Lizards
More than anything, Angela wanted a Bearded Dragon. Yep! The scuttling lizards made her go “awwww” while others would sprint away screaming, “ahhhh!”
Still, there were numerous situations around the world where these magnificent creatures and humans became friends. After considering all the risks and how she could circumvent them, Angela decided to move forward with her plans.
Taking A Leap
So, she went ahead and bought one. The first interactions would be crucial. Either her cat, Baby, and the new pet would tolerate each other, or she would have spent a couple of hundred dollars for nothing.
She carefully set the little dragon on the carpet. Baby immediately spotted the new guest and crouched like she was going to pounce.
The end result wasn’t so far away from her initial assumptions, she couldn’t believe her eyes. At first, Baby crept forward, sniffing the air around the lizard.
It was definitely capturing the kitty’s interest. The lizard just sat there, flicking its tongue. Angela felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
So Happy!
Baby then leaned in. But instead of biting, she carefully rubbed her cheek against the newest addition to the family. The little bumps and soft spikes were lovely to brush up against.
Soon, an amazing friendship formed. It was only a few weeks into the test, and Angela was already finding them snuggling with each other. There was no question as to what should happen next.
Dynamic Duo
The adorable duo needed to be photographed and shared with the world. The Bearded Dragon was called Charles and stole the hearts of thousands of people – especially when he wore his little sweaters.
Angela snapped photo after photo, completely stunned by how much the animals did together. They even ate next to each other at the same time – without any squabbling over food or stealing snacks. But trouble was already brewing.
Best Buds
But the threat of a kitty mauling or messing with a lizard’s enclosure is real. Everything had started out fine for Angela, who was glad to see Baby curl around Charles as they fell asleep together.
She counted her lucky stars, not knowing things were about to go awry. It was certainly one of the most unusual friendships she had ever seen. But one day, everything changed.
Something's Off
Although Angela's little family was fairing on nicely, Angela had forgotten crucial information when it came to cats and lizards. Among the most important was, cats are hunters.
She came from work one afternoon to find her two favorite housemates missing from their usual hangout spot. Although she hated to admit it, she knew something was terribly wrong.
A Bad Week
Angela had been having a difficult week, culminating in leaving work earlier than usual because of severe flu. Usually, she'd come home in the evening to find Baby and Charles asleep.
But today was different. Angela stepped into her house with a handkerchief held firmly under her nose as she fought off the afternoon's charring cold.
An Empty House
The first thing she noticed was the sudden emptiness in her living room. Baby usually purred when asleep, and the soothing sound was always loud enough for a person at the door to hear.
But Angela couldn't hear a thing. Her eyes shot across the room to her lizard's corner. But there was nothing there too. Hot panic shot through her.
Proficient Hunters
As mentioned, cats are usually some of the most proficient hunters in the long line of pets. Although cases are few, there have been instances where cats attacked fellow pets at home.
Casualties of such attacks usually include smaller animals, such as tiny snakes, frogs, and the occasional bearded dragon. Angela knew Charles was in danger.
The Flu
For the longest time that week, Angela had fallen ill with the worst flu. And now her pets had chosen this time to disappear from her house.
She was tired with aching joints and a thumping headache, but she wouldn't let any harm befall her babies. She set her work bag aside and immediately got to work.
Prized Trophies
In the years that Angela had Baby under her care, she'd seen the little kitty bring home its prize kills from its daily adventures in their backyard.
These included insects such as praying mantises and roaches to bigger game like mice. Angela usually reprimanded Baby for bringing such into the house, but she was a proud mom. Now that there was a chance Charles was in danger, she didn't know what to think.
Finding Baby And Charles
The alarmed lady set to searching the house. Since it is easy to lose track of a small pet such as a bearded dragon, Angela would look for Baby first.
Finding the cat would ultimately lead her to her beloved lizard. If only she knew how late she was and that her life was also in grave danger.
I Can't See Them
Angela began her search in the living room, coughing and wiping her nose as she did her best not to keel over from her burning joints. She called out for her cat, but there was no answer.
Seeing that the living room was empty, she hurried to the other rooms that Baby frequented, starting with the kitchen. What she found would have her stepping back with parted lips.
The Kitchen
Angela hurried into the kitchen, and her breath caught. The whole place was messy, with pots, plastic dishes, and cups strewn everywhere.
Glass utensils lay broken on every inch of the floor. Cooking spices, flour, ketchup, sauces, and sugar, among other ingredients and condiments, dirtied the space between the utensils. Something terrible had happened here.
Searching For Them
The panic flowing through Angela's veins doubled, and a sickening feeling settled in her stomach. Whatever struggle happened in her kitchen could only mean the worst.
She knew that Baby and Charles had gotten into some altercation. She searched every corner of the kitchen, trying to find either of them, her heart thumping and her forehead covered in sweat. What was happening?
Where Are They?
Angela's kitchen was in disarray, and her pets were missing. She didn't know what was happening but was sure something bad had happened there.
After a quick but thorough search, she moved from the chaotic room, easing to her bedroom. The room was as she'd left it in the morning, pristine with everything still in place. But she couldn't see Baby and Charles.
A Growl
Tired from her search and the fatigue burning through her, Angela was about to sit on her bed when she heard a growl outside her room. "Baby!" she called out, recognizing the sound.
She dashed to her bedroom window, dragging the curtains open. The scene that met her eyes wrenched a blood-curdling scream from her chest.
The Threat
Beyond the protection of Angela's bedroom window came the green of her grassy backyard. Baby was in the middle of it, snarling with the hairs on her back erect.
Behind the kitty was Charles, spooked, and before him and Baby, a coiled snake hissing in the dull afternoon sun. But that was only half the issue.
The Snake
Angela squinted her eyes, realizing what was happening. The snake was venomous and seemed to have been trying to get to Charles.
Angela sped for her phone and called the local animal control. She'd heard stories of such snakes slithering into homes to hunt pets. She never thought she'd be on the receiving end of these stories.
Count Your Lucky Stars
Luckily for her and her beloved babies, animal control wasted no time showing up. They took care of the snake problem, stating that Charles was lucky that Baby was around to guard him.
They also stated that Angela's life would've been in danger as such snakes are very lethal. For Angela, Baby, and Charles, life continued as it had before. Everything was more than perfect.