When Tom Caught Lizzy

Just caught my cats eating a lizard. A medium-sized one that had gone white with fear. Or maybe those were his camouflaging tactics. If the latter, then the camouflage tricks were definitely faulty. Didn't work on the cats. And even I had no problem spotting it hanging out from my black cat's mouth, head first. Gross.

Everybody was (is) asleep. So there was no lizard-non-fearing person that I could turn to for help. I bravely went to the kitchen to see if I could rescue the poor reptile. Though to be honest my main concern was that my felines will fall sick after eating Lizzy dear. We have had that happen before.

So I went in to the kitchen pretending to be a rescuer. The three cats were circling around the poor tail-less thing. I gave them a whispered shout, so as to not wake any of the sleeping humans.

The whispered shout had the desired effect. The two cats jumped on to the fridge. It was then that I saw it. The tail was lying right beside its owner. It was twitching as though it was still connected to the reptilian heart that pumped cold blood into its veins.

I was no knight in shining armor. With everyone asleep, I could not scream (my usual reaction on seeing a lizard on the floor). So I squeaked. Twice. Maybe a third time. High-pitched squeaks that woke my Grandma. The tail continued to twitch. But the squeaks chased the cats away.

However, as it always happens in an overpopulated home, Sugar the dog decided to take a midnight walk and sniff at the shitty-brown animal. I thought she opened her mouth to give it a lick, but the lizard bolted. At least, I hope it did. Sugar comes every morning and licks my face. It is gross-ish on normal days. Lizard remains would make it worse.

But I'm hoping that Lizzy dear has managed to escape. I don't like lizards. But hate and fright need not always manifest itself in cruelty. I don't want my cats to play cat and mouse with either mice, birds, or reptiles.

Even as I type these noble words, I'm scared that the lizard is trekking all over our kitchen, drawing, and dining room floor. Wonder what would keep it from entering my room and climbing on to the mattress. I don't have the protection of a well-raised bed, and lizards are known to take a stroll just where they are not wanted.

Nightmare lizards, go away!

P.S.: The title for this post sounds strangely like one for a love story. Hope you weren't misled by it.

Update ten minutes later: Black cat Maxi's mom, a.k.a. black cat Ebony, just came into my room from the kitchen licking her lips and looking satisfied. She then snuggled up to a pillow and is now in catnap heaven. I think I can safely say that Lizzy is on its way to Lizard's Paradise.