Zip was sitting on my lap on this beautiful Fall afternoon – 65 degrees at 4:30 – when a cheeky chipmunk popped out of the stone wall, squeaking defiantly at him; it looked just like a dare. They have been taunting each other for days.
The chipmunk was only 10 feet away. Zip has been stalking the chipmunks all summer; I think he only caught one and then ate it.
He zoomed off my lap and headed for the chipmunk who dared him to catch him and who vanished into a crack between two of the stones in the wall.
The chipmunk was not intimidated.
He kept popping up in one hole or another while Zip leaped here and there.
I had my long lens to capture this conflict, not how it ended. I admit to being mesmerized. It’s a beautiful look into the mind of a bright and fiercely independent Barn Cat, especially when nobody dies. I love Zip, but I was rooting for the chipmunk.
The hunt began with Zip in my lap; when the chipmunk appeared, he rushed over to the fence and jumped up, looking for a good view. The hunt was on.
It’s not pretty to see Zip in his dark side (it’s not dark for a cat, just a human wuss), but it is fascinating to see the hunting skills of a Barn Cat. Here goes, narrated by me. Barn Cats have to work hard to earn their keep and reputation.
- The hunt begins. Zip quickly gets to the stone where the chipmunk jeered at him.
2. Zip peered into the hole where the chipmunk hid. The chipmunk played with him, popping up here and there like a cartoon character. Zip was getting annoyed.
3. Close. He pounced here, plunging his left paw deeply into the hole. He clearly felt something or heard it move. I think he nearly caught the chipmunk then; he seemed very excited. The chipmunk had squeezed away. Zip came up empty.
4. Zip seemed to know where the chipmunk was, but the chipmunk wasn’t there anymore. He popped up a few feet behind Zip and dived under before I could move the camera. Zip heard him and turned, but it was too late. Chipmunks are tough and smart. This one seemed to always know where Zip was.
5. Zip is not a patient cat, but he decided to be quiet, watch, and wait. The chipmunk knew where all the holes and tunnels went. Zip was at a disadvantage.
6. His patience paid off. The chipmunk stuck his head out between the rocks just below Zip and moved quickly. Then he lost contact once again and sat up, quiet and still. I was impressed by his patience.
7. The chipmunk vanished, perhaps into one of the many tunnels they dug in the yard and pasture. Zip just laid down to rest. And wait.
8. Defeat. It was after 5 p.m. now, and Zip was tired. He lay down on the stones and went to sleep. Seeing his chance, the chipmunk jumped behind him and ran under the fence and into the pasture. He vanished into another stone wall and let off a defiant final squeak. But Zip had surrendered. He just wanted to capture the last rays of the sun and take a nap. It isn’t always easy being a Barn Cat.