Toe in the Water

Where's the Realism?

Where’s the Realism?

I was opening yet another can to feed the cat this morning and I thought, not for the first time, It’s no wonder Pookie doesn’t like the taste of this one. I can’t really believe that any cat has killed a cow in the wild. If we don’t count lions and tigers as cats, obviously. So how could a cat ever acquire the taste for a bit of beef?

Most of the cat food flavours are in the same boat. It seems unlikely that cats ever see mackerel or tuna, let alone stand a chance of catching them. Chicken I can believe, although I read somewhere that birds are not natural prey for cats. It’s just that domesticated cats don’t get many chances at small rodents these days, so they make do with anything small and mobile.

Why the cat food manufacturers don’t produce flavours like mouse or hamster, I don’t know. It would seem the best solution from the cat’s point of view. But I suppose that would offend too many delicate human sensibilities. Better to make the stuff (whatever it’s made from - but I won’t get into that) and then just label it as something more acceptable. The cats aren’t going to spill the beans, are they?

It does explain why cats have their reputation for extreme pickiness, however. I, too, would dig my heels in if I was constantly presented with something shaped nothing like the little rodent delicacy of my dreams and tasting the same as everything else I was offered. And I can imagine the cats’ mockery and disgust if they could read the optimistic promises on the label.

Ah well, it’s beef today, Pookie. Thought you might like a change from the seafood platter you’ve been getting fed up with of late.

Suddenly I have a vision of a lion on the open savanna of Africa, turning to his companion and saying, “No, no, old girl, you go ahead and don’t worry about me. Never could stand the taste of wildebeest myself.”


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