The Kitty Mafia...

I dunno what went down, but it HAD to be something SERIOUS for what I witnessed to take place.

It happened a couple of days ago - last Friday, I think. All I know is that I have the wounds to go along with it.

It was like any other day in the barn -
Goats wanting food....
Cats wanting food....
Chickens wanting food....
Ducks wanting food....

Heck, even I was a bit hungry....

I should have known something was up when I saw a drowned mouse in one of the goats water buckets. Little did I know, it was the Kitty Mafia that must have been behind it.

There I was, minding my own business, cleaning out a stall, when I heard IT.
IT was a low choking sound that was coming from the room where I store everyone's food. I decided that I'd better take a look.

To my amazement - an horror - I saw three of the kittens picking on the other one.
This, in itself, would not be that unusual. What WAS different about this, was the fact that the three were in the midst of taking a good length of plastic baler twine, and wrapping it around the poor kitty's neck!

It was happening in a flash - three hit men finishing a contract on another member of the "family".

When I got through the gate and over to the poor kitten, the hit men ran for the shadows, leaving their victim hanging in the twine, her rear feet just barely touching the floor. I heard a low gasp and she started to spasm.

My next move was to grab my knife and cut the kitty loose. In the 2.4698433 seconds I had left before the kitty expired, I managed to open my knife, get it into place, and start the cut....

That's when the kitty flopped hard and caused me to cut through the twine - and into my hand....
I managed to cut - and loosen - the twine enough for the kitten to get some air, but could not cut the several wraps of twine around her throat without cutting her, me, or both.

Into the house we went so Deb could help with extricating the cat - and stopping my bleeding....

Scissors made short work of the twine, and Deb got my hand done up nicely.

It still makes me wonder, though. Who put out the contract on the poor thing, and why?

One of these days, I am going to have to find out who the "kingpin" is, and take them down - just to maintain peace in the barn. I'm sure this kitty has about 3 less lives because of the situation. I shudder to think that - had I not been there - this would be a murder investigation instead of a happy outcome.

There have been no more attempts since, but it's only been a few days.

I can't help but wonder if the poor little mouse was drowned because he wouldn't talk...or maybe because he threatened to squeal....

All I know is, the kitten is going about, none the worse for wear.....

...and I got a cut on my hand an inch long....