Otto And His Arch Enemy (a Tiny House Fly)

[Chris_Takas]

Today, for the first time, a fly entered the apartment. Otto was a stray, so i thought he knows what a fly is and does! but the way he reacts is just hilarious to me. he makes this noise, i cant explain how it sounds. its a combination of hissing, meowing and a stutterer. he wakes up whenever this fly comes around and he does that noise and tries to catch it. to no avail! it has been going on for a while. i was wondering if this is part of playing or is he annoyed? shall i take care of the fly myself? he doesnt have that with moths or any other insect. its just too funny to see him hunt a fly! and this sound! brilliant. but i dont want him to be annoyed or get stressed about it.
Thanks for reading and your input.
Otto and chris

 

[losna]

My cats adore hunting flies. Sinbad in particular, makes this little ululating hunting cry that is one of the cutest noises I have ever heard.

I think flies just really engage their hunting instincts, because movement + sound. Most insects fly fairly silently, so while they are interesting, they're not irresistible on the level of a fly.

What I do when one gets into the house is just use a broom to swat at it when it flies out of reach, to get it back where he can continue chasing it.

 

[Chris_Takas]

hahaha! ululating hunting cry! that fits perfectly! its such a joy to observe cats!

 

[losna]

It is! It is sort of like uawawauauaua!!! With an odd sort of ripply sound, like a rolled R. I keep trying to catch it to record.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Milly is just deadly silent and zooms around if chasing a fly. She only gives this tiny *peep* noise if the fly stops moving and sits up on the wall out of reach near the ceiling.

 

[Chris_Takas]

perhaps i am thinking way to much about all this now but i kind of feel bad for the fly. should i? for Otto its playing/hunting, for me its fun to watch Otto doing so but for the fly its survival. tell me i am thinking to much!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

perhaps i am thinking way to much about all this now but i kind of feel bad for the fly. should i? for Otto its playing/hunting, for me its fun to watch Otto doing so but for the fly its survival. tell me i am thinking to much!

You're not thinking too much - you're simply being conscientious. Despite its size, the fly is as much one of God's creatures as are we, or Otto. On the rare occasion that an insect finds its way inside, I capture and release it outdoors, if not for the insect's well-being, then for the cats. Cats eating insects is among the primary causes of worms. As to feeling pity for the fly, good for you.
.

 

[maggiedemi]

I didn't know that flies caused worms. Good to know! Thanks.

 

[Chris_Takas]

I capture and release it outdoors

i do the same thing! i always have capturing jar at hand.

 

[mightyboosh]

This is one of the reasons why we love cats so much.

 

[Purr-fect]

Arnold and greg were fly hunting last night, doing acrobatics, batting at the wood blinds, running from room to room. Ive seen greg jump and catch a fly between his two paws.

Latter the house was silent. no more fly.

Ive seen the boys crush flies but they leave them for me to clean up.

Havent found this one yet.

 

[losna]

Sinbad doesn't eat them. He catches them and then brings them to me as offerings and trophies. I praise him and thank him, and when he's not looking toss them out.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I do the same thing! People laugh at me because I won't kill even a roach. I catch it and put it outside. I'm not religious but I do recognize that life--even the life of a roach or fly--is a precious thing.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

I do the same thing! People laugh at me because I won't kill even a roach. I catch it and put it outside. I'm not religious but I do recognize that life--even the life of a roach or fly--is a precious thing.

lavishsqualor - I respectfully disagree; you are, indeed, religious - after the proper Latin etymology of "religio" - being "reverent," and, "feeling an obligation." You might not subscribe to an organised religion, or even to the tenets of a theology as such, but to feel an obligation to preserve a Life - any and every Life - because you recognise in that Life a certain sanctity - is to be more 'religious' than most of us who observe our collective organised Faiths. You're more than simply a part of the compact which binds Humankind together socially - you're a guardian of the very concept which has allowed Humankind to thrive. If I wore an hat, mine would be off to you.
.

 

[lavishsqualor]

1CatOverTheLine - What a fantastic post. You've rendered me speechless and that's hard to do. I stand corrected: I am indeed religious. What a truly interesting person you must be!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

1CatOverTheLine - What a fantastic post. You've rendered me speechless and that's hard to do. I stand corrected: I am indeed religious. What a truly interesting person you must be!

On the contrary; I'm little else but George Savile's, "common enemy."
.