Fun fact: On average, one pounce in three results in a successful catch for a cat.
KC, our fat Tabby, loves chasing butterflies. Fortunately for them, her enthusiasm far outweighs her skill, and they are never in any real danger. But that doesn’t stop KC. Throughout the summer, she crouches patiently and watches for anything that flies past. Some days, she resembles someone watching tennis, with her head bobbing from side to side. When the buddleia are in bloom, the butterflies are in profusion, and then it’s hard to get her to come indoors. From her point of view, there are simply too many cat toys fluttering past.
KC is rather chubby, so there is something comical about her trying to flatten herself and move across the garden like a shadow — she generally succeeds at being a moving bump. Then comes the pounce, which shows a cheerful exuberance, as she leaps spread-eagled into the air and lands, looking around in confusion to find the butterfly. The joyful abandonment and total lack of skill in the pounce ensures the butterfly has time to escape, and KC’s eyes dart around, seeking her long-escaped prey.
The fact that KC is hopeless at catching butterflies does little to dim her enthusiasm, and she keeps watching, a gleeful picture of a cat totally enthralled in her activity, persisting in spite of constant failure, but having a wonderful time in the process.
Watching her, I realize there is a lot we can learn from her: We can’t all be successful at everything, but we can still enjoy trying.
~Denice Penrose
