When your mini panther brings you a gift.
Yup, this just happened. This little fellow was deposited under my vanity. Don’t worry folks, I picked up the little peeper and deposited him under a bush far away from my backyard. He seemed shaken up, but since he managed to roll over and flap his wings, I figured he was ok, just stunned and extremely weary of cats.
This little sweet girl, who loves to cuddle and chats with me all day is also a fierce & ferocious hunter. She can’t help it, Shadow Breeze was born into a feral colony and her mom did an excellent job teaching her how to hunt. So, although she is pampered and well fed she can’t escape her nature. Actually, I love that part of her nature, because when vermin, such as cotton rats and country mice, enter my/our yard, this excellent hunter keeps them at bay, and prevents them from choosing my/our home as their new residence.
It gets a little wonky when this landscape & nature photographer comes face to face with a baby bunny or, as in this case, a little flapper who had the misfortune to land in the yard guarded by a mini panther with an excellent hunting track record. But hunting and little flappers aside, what warms my heart is that she brought me a gift. When Shadow Breeze & her brother boyfriend Milo, catch a bug, a small mammal, a bird, anything else in the yard, typically it has been eviscerated before I can free or prevent them from consuming it.
However, when Shadow Breeze brings prey into the house, especially to me, it is a gift. That means that this wonderful ball of fur is demonstrating her love for me and portrays it by bringing me a gift. Milo does that too, except he doesn’t bring me live prey, he usually brings me his favorite toy, after he has washed it. So, sometimes I wake up with something wet in my hand, or on or near me.
There is something to be said about the unconditional love, gratitude, and friendship a mini panther bestows on her hoomin. And I for one am grateful, Shadow Breeze chose me to be her hoomin and for the gifts she brings me.
Milo is no longer with us. He passed away on December 23, 2024. Just a couple of weeks from his 11th birthday. Milo is deeply loved and deeply missed. You can read more about Milo and see pictures of him on my fine art photography website:
Remembering Milo: https://www.tanyaowens.com/post/remembering-milo-a-tribute-to-my-meow-face
In Loving Memory - Milo: https://www.tanyaowens.com/milo
And on my Positive Awe™ Newsletter:
