TheBanyanTree: Belligerent Divinity

[Tom Smith]

As sort of an explanation for this piece..  Maybe I was still
coming to grips with one of our cats getting the worst of a
coyote encounter.  So I kind of had pretators on my mind.
The victim was a pretty aggressive fearless male Tuxedo
cat who loved to be outside and would raise hell inside till
"invited out."   We've always had coyotes, and he's always
been let out when he wanted to go.  Actually, he RAN to the
front door, and RAN off.  Just like he'd done every morning
for 5 years.  I figured he was street smart, and knew he
could climb trees and duck under cars..  but this last time
he didn't come back.  I found him the next day, and another
cat victim about 10 ft away.  I considered the possibility of
a psycho neighbor and called a wildlife specialist, who said
this [type of coyote feasting]  happens all the time.  This is 
coyote pupping season and statistically the most fatal for 
cats and dogs.  Coyotes can jump 6' high fences.  One got 
in a turkey pen in the rural part of the county and killed 27 
and ate one.  

The house is like an echo chamber now.. without echos.

I don't let the other cats out in the wee hours anymore.

Tom