The Cats and the Bees?

So everyone has heard of the birds and the bees, but what about the cats and the bees?

Yesterday my wife and I stopped into M.E.C. (Mountain Equipment Co-op) to pick up some materials to make a new cat leash. One of our cats, Avro, was a stray cat that I had found in the parking lot of our old apartment. With our new large backyard she loves to come out and join us when my wife and I are doing yard work. She stands at the back door and meows pathetically until we finally give in and bring her outside. The problem was the only sort of outdoor leash set we could find at our local pet store was for small dogs, medium gauge wire with large stainless steel buckles. Avro didn't really seem to like the weight of the line and buckle that attached to the top of her harness, she would walk around strangely and has on a few occasions escaped the harness because the wire got caught on something. I looked around to see what I could find, but short of cutting off the leash from one of those retractable dog leashes there was nothing to be found. After looking at her harness an idea finally hit me, her harness looks like a little climbing harness so why not attach a little climbing rope and carabiner. M.E.C. was the first place I thought of, it is the most awesomest and bodacious outdoor goods store I know. Best of all, the rope and carabiners cost less then anything available at the pet store and they are exteremly light weight.

This morning I got everything all hooked up and took her into the yard while I went about watering the gardens and watching my bees. The length of her new rope, we bought 15 meters, allowed her to roam the entire span of the backyard freely. It wasn't long before she discovered the hive. At first I was a little concerned because I have seen our cats hunting and pouncing on bugs. However, a strange thing happened, once Avro was close enough to see the entrance she just sat there mesmerized by all the bees coming and going. I'm not sure if it was instinctual because subconsciously she knows they can hurt or if it's because she had dealt with bees before as a stray. She happily sat there for 10-15 minutes watching the bees, and then went about chewing grass in other places of the yard. I even managed to run into the house and grab the camera.

"I'm not doing anything bad, honest, just look at this face"

Mesmerized by bees, definitely Daddy's cat.

This is the closest she got.