Tiny predators with a big heart

A bunch of white and blue feathers lay on the 50 years-old rug my grandmother gave my mom when she married over 25 years ago and that now adorns my living room. With a careful look you can see some brownish droplets drying on the old gray and green fabric.

-Not again, Melecotón! I yell, as my lovely, yet deadly ginger cat meows at me from under a victorian style chair, her yellow eyes fixed on me, with a little bluejay hanging from her mouth.

This is not the first time it happens. Melocotón (Spanish for apricot) has been with me for over three years. She came one night looking for food and I gave her a little milk on a plate. From that moment on, she's been a member of the family. Like a child, she asks for food when hungry and cuddles on my lap when cold. Sometimes I swear I could hear words materializing from her meows.

Cats are amazing animals... Much more humans than you would expect.

Still, there's something primal in the way they behave.

They are predators and their instinct is stronger than that of dogs and other animals. It's evident from the first time something catches their attention. They have a predilection for small, fast-moving things such as mice, insects and sadly, birds. You can see their bodies bow, their pupils dilate and feel the tension in every single muscle of their bodies. Then, all of a sudden, with a burst of energy they jump on their prey.

After a few minutes is all done. They again, are the cute, big-eyed furballs I love.

I hate it everytime she kills a living thing, but at the same time, find it amazing that such a tiny and soft creature can be so deadly. It's both impressive and a bit scary. But I don't think it makes them evil. On the other hand, it's actually nice to know that even such a skilled predator, still needs a hug and a little pat behind its ears from time to time.

It just makes her purring way more meaningful.