No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeAnimalsKiller cat loose in Monteverde, bird learns

Killer cat loose in Monteverde, bird learns

SANTA ELENA, Puntarenas — One of the two sleepy gray cats at my hotel was looking unusually perky, and when I came closer I saw why: A pretty little black-and-white bird lay dead at its feet.

“Bad kitty,” I said.

A cat clutches a bird in its mouth.
Karl Kahler/The Tico Times

But nature is red in tooth and claw, so I didn’t scold the cat much. After all, catching prey is how cats survived for millions of years, long before humans invented cat food.

The pretty little bird is probably not endangered, I reasoned, otherwise it wouldn’t have been common enough to fly within striking range of a common Costa Rican hotel cat.

Cat plays with dead bird.
Karl Kahler/The Tico Times
And plays....
Karl Kahler/The Tico Times
... and plays.
Karl Kahler/The Tico Times

The cat creepily played with its dead prey for a long time, batting it left and right and up in the air. It seemed to be amusing itself but also showing off, aware that it had a human audience.

Victory is mine!
Karl Kahler/The Tico Times

The only thing the predator showed no interest in doing with its prey was eating it.

I’m sure this pampered cat knew where there was better food elsewhere.

Contact Karl Kahler at kkahler@ticotimes.net.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Ojochal: From Farms to Luxury Tourism Hub

Ojochal, a small town in between the Pacific Ocean and the Fila Costeña in Costa Rica’s Osa, isn’t the sleepy agricultural community it once...

From Bookie to “Pura Vida”: A True Costa Rica Expat Story

I recently wrote about my fear that three decades after learning Spanish, I was now slowly losing my fluency, forgetting words I had once...

Nicaragua Pulls Out of UN Refugee Agency, Citing Bias

Nicaragua announced that it is withdrawing from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accusing the agency of making “biased” statements about Nicaraguans...

Canada’s Porter Airlines to Launch Direct Costa Rica Flights

Porter Airlines is gearing up to connect Canada with Costa Rica, following approval from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to operate direct international flights....

The Cocos-Galapagos Swimway Will Create a Legacy for Costa Rica and the World!

At the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France, which Costa Rica is co-sponsoring, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles has an opportunity to make history by...

Costa Rica Continues Investigation into Miller Gardner’s Death

Costa Rican authorities are still investigating the tragic death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, nearly...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica