Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The Splinter Cat


It’s time for a “fearsome critter!”  I’ve left dozens of these guys undescribed, and haven’t written one up in weeks.  Today I introduce you to the Splinter Cat-- an arboreal beast of the Pacific Northwest.  These felines cannot be distinguished from normal cats, except by their unusual behavior.  Your average tabby eats mice and cat food, but the Splinter Cat feeds on bees.

This is odd, but not unheard of in nature.  Plenty of animals eat insects, and many have adaptations to prevent stings.  No, the odd thing about the Splinter Cat isn’t its diet-- it’s how that diet is obtained.  When it gets hungry, a Splinter Cat climbs the nearest tree before leaping off into thin air.  It will then crash head-first into a nearby trunk, shattering it completely and destroying any beehives within.  The destroyed trees are often explained as lightning-strike victims.

The problem is this-- not all trees contain hives.  A Splinter Cat is thus forced to ram its way through entire groves every time it wants a meal.  This is a rather inefficient method of hunting, and not pleasant for the animal.  It's easy to see why the Splinter Cat is so ornery.  You would be too, if you had a massive headache every time you tried to eat!

Read more about the Splinter Cat:

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