This is Australia where poisonous snakes are a real hazard to people but usually not cats. As soon as I read the story it reminded me of the ancient history of the domestic cat. The wild cat ancestor of the domestic cat, the North African wildcat, is a very competent snake catcher/killer. Cats are incredibly quick movers with razor sharp reflexes allowing them to avoid the snake’s thrusting bite despite the fact that snakes are quick too. Domestic cats have inherited this awesome skill and it was amply demonstrated in this story which is retold in the audio file below. The lady, Denise Thynne, who was bitten was interviewed by a local news journalist. I like the way her cat mesmerised the snake before killing it.
It is a well rehashed tale that the reason for the domestication of the North African wildcat was their ability to keep down rodents from grain stores and to kill snakes to help protect their human companion/farmer. This Australian story is a modern day version and it took place around 10,000 years after the first time it happened.
Motzie is a well-known F2 Savannah cat, an impressive domestic cat. On one occasion his owner, Deborah-Ann Milette, described how he went for a snake.
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