Bat, the Bayou Prince Cat, (also known as a rescued cat or somebody's throwaway pet) came to the Bayou by way of my son-in-law. Robbie found the poor, pathetic kitten after someone abandoned it at his place of business. He promptly brought the forlorn critter here with the promise of it being a temporary thing. That was almost four years ago and the cat is still here. This is home. Here, the cat is welcome, cared for and much loved. He returns the love and....returns the favor of being fed by often bringing his "catches" as gifts. More oft than naught, his prey is simply released unharmed with the promise of a treat. Occasionally, however, Bat makes short work of a critter. Rats and squirrels stand no chance! Then...then there are the times that he brings us something quite out of the ordinary.
Mark and Son were busy digging a new drainage ditch down the back side of the hill while I cut some of the leaves that are a foot deep after our intense freeze last month. Yardwork is never complete around here. At one point, Son and I both saw Mr. Bat race up from near the pier. Oh, goodness. What was that goofy cat dragging this time. Neither of us stopped work to investigate leaving the cat to his own business. Mark soon discovered just what Bat was dragging. The cat presented Mark with a fine mullet! Yep, Bat had caught a fish! How? How? The wet, muddied cat was not telling his secrets! He did receive a treat for trying to feed us...and, in a way, he will, at some point. The 10 inch long mullet was not to be wasted. The fresh fish was plopped into the shed freezer to be used as crab bait once the weather warms a bit more. The crabs will be enjoyed by us! Good cat!!
Once this story made its rounds with our friends, several put in requests for Mr. Bat to catch some fish for them! Not many folks can claim they have "fishing" cats! Oh, Mr. Bat, you are something else!
