A disturbing cat video

August 16, 2012 • 1:30 pm

by Greg Mayer

The following video, by British filmmaker Sam Huntley (who might be a one-eyed owl himself), is not your usual internet cat video fare.

It does help us appreciate the world from the point of view of, say, a vole, though.

h/t: Chas Danner at Andrew Sullivan

38 thoughts on “A disturbing cat video”

  3. What is more disturbing to me is that someone thought there was value in producing that video.

    1. I think there’s value to it. It reminds us that cats are ruthless predators. Nothing against cats. That’s just their nature. But I think I’ll be keeping my own cat in the house a lot more (he seems less interested in going outside as he gets older anyway).

        1. Predators don’t rue what they do. Being predators, predating, rueing predation would be rather pointless. Like a blade of grass rueing it’s enslavement of those poor innocent cyanobacteria, taking away their bacterial rights to their own genome, reproduction, etc, and forcing them to photosynthesise all day long for a thin night time gruel of nutrients.
          How could someone look at those lovely sharp teeth set in a body-cavity-penetrating snout, feel the needle-like imprint of a kittens claws, see the directional ears and the binocular vision, and forget that these are excellently honed occupants of the predatory niche?

          1. If you’re trying to make a point, I have no idea what it is.

            “Ruthless” certainly seems an appropriate adjective to me. When I see our cat going after birds and other critters in the back yard, it shows no sign of any pity, empathy or compassion for its prey. Nor would I expect it to.

    1. Unless you live in a very strange place, you are overrun with rats and mice. Feline rodent control is paid for in dead birds.

  5. I’ve heard it said that when a cat does this, it is not so much a present as a warning.

    “Keep my litter box clean, or this could be you.”

  8. Interview with Sam Huntley: Clawing to the top who’s no fan of felines. Anyway “Tibs” is the Nom** de Film of lovely green-eyed Millie who was paid in tuna it seems

    I like to think that Wednesday’s ‘gift’ was a door-to-door evangelical ~ Millie channelling the Roman Christian**/Lion myth

    3. It’s not so pretty once they take a good look at what goes into the making of a cracker.

  9. Is it weird that I was most upset by her screaming at the cat at the end, lest its kitteh feelings be hurt? Heh heh. Yeah. (Whistles nonchalantly and makes a hasty exit…)

  11. What was that line from an old WWII movie: (paraphrasing) “Well, kid, they may be able to kill you, but they can’t eat you!”

  12. “disturbing”…says the guy that allowed a botfly larva to maintain a residence atop his head until it decided to move out

    1. Is this something I don’t know about Greg Mayer?
      Kewl!
      I’ve never suffered bot fly myself, but I used to work with an American programmer whose previous only trip abroad had been to Nigeria, and had lasted long enough to arrive at his hotel, have a swim, have a jet-lag curing afternoon nap … and woke up 3 weeks later in a Houston Texas hospital.
      Something like a bot fly, on the towel, combined with an allergic reaction. Lovely!

        1. Actually, apart from spelling his name, and association with the WEIT “!blog” there’s nothing that I do know about Greg Mayer. And I have to check the spelling!

          1. Sorry, I didn’t notice the post wasn’t from Jerry. As far as I know, Greg Mayer has never intentionally let a botfly set up shop on his head.

          2. Now I’m more confused.
            So ; for reasons so far unexplained, but I can actually imagine … at some point i nthe past, JAC let a bot fly set up home in his head?
            Bizarre, in an impressive sort of way. If true.

          4. (listening now) Fascinating.
            Absolutely horrible interface for that “radio lab” though. Through the various fire walls and satellite links, I get a 5 second burst, crackles for 15 seconds, another burst of sound.
            Why on earth won’t people provide MP3 links for things like this? Oh, I know – bloody advertising and so on.

  13. What was it TIBS got on Wednesday?
    Tuesday’s blackbird was very tidy compared with blackbirds I find on the rug. Moreover, cats scarcely get adult males, it’s usually the fledging chicks.

      1. Very boring – spoiler.
        It seems likely Tibs got the steak from the fridge, but that makes no point at all.

  15. So Tibs went to the butcher’s to fetch a couple of steaks, but the package was leaking. What’s the problem?

Comments are closed.