Our Buffy is well named. Daryl and Hollynn named her for the Vampire Slayer during the first season of said television show back in 1997. Watching the adventures of Buffy Summers and her friends at Sunnydale High was father/daughter bonding time. I didn't catch on to the fun of this quirky show until watching it during mother/daughter bonding time on DVD.
Feline Buffy is as much a slayer as science fiction Buffy. She is a daily huntress on the prowl for mice, voles, snakes, and chipmunks. She has a special fondness for chipmunks and nearly always releases them after catching and playing with them for awhile. Mice and Voles are brought to the door for display, while snakes are promptly eviscerated and then left disdainfully on the grass. Thankfully the bounty of prey on the ground distracts Buffy from stalking songbirds.
This morning I got up before Daryl and went downstairs to make coffee and let the cat out. I stood at the window scanning the woods for deer or turkeys and seeing none, turned to go about my business. Passing the deck doors, I noticed that Buffy was crouching, in a posture that could be labeled "on point" if she were a dog. Looking into the forest, at first I couldn't see anything. Then Buffy moved quickly off the deck, across the yard, and stationed herself at a rock by the woods path entrance. Then I saw the object of her interest. At first I thought it was a very large black cat, but as it moved further into my view, I realized that it was a quite large fisher cat! Then, imagine my shock when Buffy decided to attack it! She took off like a shot and the fisher took off even faster! My little fluffy Buffy chased that black beast right up tall pine tree! I still cannot figure out why the fisher didn't turn on her and eat her right up. Many a neighborhood cat has met their demise in the jaws of a fisher cat.
In fear that the fisher would come to his senses, claw his way back down the tree and breakfast on our pet, I raised the family alarm and got Daryl to run out barefoot onto the frosty grass, gripping his shirt and shoes. Buffy was sitting under the tree, but we could not spy the fisher. As soon as shoes and shirt were on, Daryl sprinted into the woods to scoop her up. This both insulted and infuriated the huntress who leaped over the stonewall and disappeared into the forests of Lichenwood. No amount of calling and cajoling could lure her back. She sauntered back on her own a half hour later. This cat is too brave for her own good!
For information on fisher cats visit the New Hampshire Fish and Game website.
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