Honestly, who says cat owners don't do irony?
BBC: Family cat 'eaten by pet python'
A family has called for a change in the law after a 13ft (4m) Burmese python crushed and ate their cat.
Four-year-old Wilbur, who lived with his owners in the Brislington area of Bristol, was apparently ambushed by the reptile in a neighbouring garden. Owners Martin and Helen Wadey said they heard "blood curdling cries" which they knew were being made by their pet. They said they were unable to prevent Wilbur being eaten alive by the snake, which a neighbour keeps as a pet.
Their ruthless killing machine gets eaten by another ruthless killing machine, and suddenly they want a change in the law. Me too, Mr & Mrs Wadey.
The following quote made stuff come out of my nose:
A[n RSPCA] spokeswoman said: "The snake was scanned and we can confirm that a [cat's] microchip was found inside. The [snake] owner was issued with a written warning about appropriate housing and care equipment. We can't know for certain that it was Wilbur, but it is very, very likely."
Lends a whole new meaning to the phrase cat scan.
I do hope the python is all right.
Cheaper than going to the vets to get your snake micro-chipped, it could catch on. There are a few cats round here I could volunteer!
There's a long black snake, sucking my rider's tongue. Victoria Spivey & Lonnie Johnson 1928
A guy takes his dog to the vet. The vet says "This dog is dead".The man's upset by this and asks if the vet is sure, at which point a black Labrador enters the room, sniffs the dog, turns to the vet and barks once. "I'm sorry, but your dog is dead" says the vet.The man is still not sure, but then a large tabby cat enters, looks over the dog for a moment, puts its tail in the air and stalks out. "Your dog is very really dead, I'm sorry to say" confirms the vet. "And that will be £205 please.""£205 to tell me my dog is dead!" exclaims the man, "how can that be £205?"
"Well," says the vet, "It's £5 to tell you your dog is dead, plus £200 for the cat scan and the lab report."
I'll get my coat.
Nope, not with you on this one. The snake was unattended in the garden. Other reports say the attack took place in the cat owners' garden, not the snake's. A 4m python is pretty big. Lucky it was a cat really, not a baby in a pram. And a baby is also a member of a blood-thirsty predatory species, so what's the difference? Seriously, the point is that large snakes are not included in legislation that covers other exotic animals. Including them whould be as much in the animals' interests as the public's, anyway.