When we got Scooter from the Wagners about a year and a half ago and brought her to our house in Olympia, we thought she was the dumbest cat, as far as defending herself or hunting goes. I mean, less than a month after we had her, we had to take her to the vet because she got attacked by probably a raccoon, and the vet told us that it looked like Scooter didn’t even try to run away from it, she had just turned her back on the raccoon and let it wack her. We watched Scooter numerous times eye a squirrel in the middle of the road, walk up to it, sniff it a little, and then lay down next to it. Royal had to climb up a tree to retrieve Scooter once because she got scared and bolted - at least she ran away from her attacker that time. So, we just decided Scooter did not have a very good killer instinct and pretty much couldn’t fend for herself outside. Kaylee used to tell me how Scooter would leave “treasures” for her on their doorstep, little animals that she’d killed and brought home. I just figured Kaylee had it mixed up and it was probably Sammy, their dog, that was leaving them presents. Well, it turns out Scooter has hit her hunting stride here in Wichita. A few nights ago, I swore I heard some animal outside and it sounded like it was screaming, but I couldn’t figure out what it was and I really didn’t think much about it. Then this weekend, while Royal and I were staining the fence, Royal looked under the deck and goes, ‘oh! it looks like Scooter killed a mouse or something’. I was like ‘gross, there’s no way i’m cleaning it up’. And then upon closer inspection, we figured out it wasn’t a mouse, it was the body of a small rabbit. Where was the head? We have no idea, I guess that is Scooter’s favorite part. So, Royal cleaned it up and threw it away. Then yesterday, while we were out staining the fence again, we found another dead rabbit under the deck. I was like, ’sad, those poor cute bunnies’. Royal of course had to clean it up, because I can hardly stand to have to get rid of spiders or anything like that, and really Royal’s around and I’m pretty sure it was in our wedding vows that he would take care of all that nastiness. So, last night, I thought I heard some more screaming from an animal, and I knew Scooter must of had another rabbit cornered. I tried to wake Royal up to make him go outside and distract Scooter so the rabbit could get away. Sadly, either Royal was sleeping too hard, or did a really good job ignoring my fingers poking him in the ribs, but he wouldn’t wake up. And today, I just had to call Royal a few minutes ago to tell him he needed to come home and take care of something. This time, instead of keeping it under the deck, where I could of left it for Royal to take care of when he got home, Scooter decided to bring up on the deck, where Jayden likes to hang out. Jayden was out on the deck and I was watching him through the window, when I see him backing up, eyeing something. Jayden doesn’t like big bugs or nasty things either. And he looks and me and says, ‘mom, what is that?’ So, I go to check it out. It is the leftover parts of whatever Scooter was snacking on in the middle of the night, there were rabbit ears, some nasty looking organ, what looked like part of a leg, and a bunch of fur. And Royal WOULDN’T come home to clean it up…what the heck???? Where are his priorities??? So, I had to do it and it was disgusting, but at least it’s cleaned up. Guess whose finding Scooter’s collar that has a bell on it? That’s right, that would be me. Scooter won’t be going outside without me providing some warning for the cute little bunnies. If Scooter can catch a bunny with a bell around her neck, well, I guess she probably deserves it.