See How One Scaredy-Cat Made Very Unlikely Friends
Just because house cats are domesticated, it doesn't mean that they lose their instincts. This is why many of them enjoy bringing "presents" to their owner's front door or stalking around the house pretending to hunt their toys. However, one cat named Ginger wasn't like most other cats. She preferred to stay safe indoors and never attempted to hunt either inside or outside. For being such a scaredy-cat, something incredible happened that led her to befriend the most unexpected animals.
On The Hunt
All cats, even house cats, are natural-born hunters. It's in their genes to stalk and hunt prey. Even if they don't have access to real prey, they'll still stalk around and pounce at random objects and toys because that's what they were born to do.
Most house cats can be found sitting by the window for hours at a time interested in the birds and other wildlife they see outside. All they know is that they want to catch it, even if they can't.
Ginger Is A True Housecat
Although most house cats practice hunting by playing with toys or trying to capture insects, they don't actually need to. They have a warm bed, a fed regularly, and are loved by their owners. Essentially, they have everything they could ever need.
One cat in particular named Ginger realized that she didn't need to ever hunt. Her owner, Tammy Simpson, admitted that not only had Ginger never indicated a desire to try and hunt, but she also didn't know how!
She's Old Enough To Know How
Tammy opened up, saying, "She hasn't figured out how to hunt despite the fact that she's seven years old!" However, Tammy doesn't seem to mind this behavior, as Ginger is an extremely laid back feline that enjoys cuddling and lounging around on the furniture.
She prefers this kind of behavior over a cat that is constantly running around pouncing on everything! Ginger has clearly become comfortable with her living situation and has never had a reason to act differently.
She's An Anxious Cat
Tammy believes that one of the reasons that Ginger has never made an attempt to hunt is because she's incredibly anxious. She doesn't like to put herself in stressful situations for fear of getting scared or even hurting herself.
Apparently, whenever Tammy moves a piece of furniture or uses the vacuum, Ginger goes into a panic and hides until she feels comfortable once again. It was clear that she didn't have the demeanor to stalk and hunt anything.
That's Okay In Tammy's Book
Ginger's skittish behavior and disinterest in hunting have never bothered Tammy one bit. She adopted Ginger to be her companion and didn't want a cat whose sole purpose in life was to hunt and kill. She also doesn't mind that Ginger has essentially turned her back on her natural instincts and opted for a more comfortable lifestyle.
In fact, Tammy was lucky for this. She explained that she was very sick for a long time and that "Ginger likes to cuddle," which made her an excellent healing companion.
Ginger Began To Show Interest In The Outside
So, when Ginger began taking an interest in the outside, it astonished Tammy. What was even more surprising was what Ginger particularly interested in. She was fascinated by moose. Because Tammy lives in Alaska, these massive mammals would sometimes pass through her own yard!
If Ginger was so afraid of vacuums and moving furniture, it made no sense why she would be interested in moose. At one point, she even meowed at Tammy to her let her outside when a mother moose and her calf showed up one day.
Moose Aren't Always Friendly
For the most part, moose keep to themselves and rarely go out of their way to attack or approach humans or other animals. However, they have been known to be territorial, especially when it comes to their young.
If a moose was approached by someone's pet and began acting like a predator, then there may be some problems. Considering that moose are so big and powerful, if they were to attack another animal it could lead to serious injury and even death.
Tammy Was Hesistant
Tammy was well aware of how dangerous a moose could be, especially to a cat. So, she was hesitant to let Ginger outside to go investigate. Yet, Ginger was so adamant about going outside that Tammy eventually opened the door for her.
She kept a close eye on her as she made her way toward the moose and her cat. Amazingly, it almost looked like she was stalking, something Tammy had never seen her do before.
All Was Well
Luckily, the mother moose didn't seem to mind Ginger's presence, even though she had her young calf with her. Everything was going so smoothly that Tammy was beginning to feel more and more comfortable allowing Ginger to go and observe them.
Both Tammy and Ginger became so comfortable that whenever a moose would wander into the yard, Tammy would open the door for Ginger to go outside.
Closer And Closer
After becoming more accustomed to having moose on the property and being outside with them, Ginger slowly but surely would get closer to them each time. Whenever she spotted a moose she would freak out until Tammy would finally open the door so she could go and watch.
No matter how close Ginger got, the moose still had the same reaction. They didn't seem to care what Ginger was up to and kept minding their own business.
Maybe A Little Too Close
On one occasion, Ginger got a little too bold and went extremely close to a mother moose and her young. This time, the moose stood up, something an adult moose hadn't done yet. The moose didn't seem to be aggressive, but curious as well, and began to approach Ginger.
However, this made Ginger uncomfortable and she seemed to be having second thoughts. She then quickly ran back to the safety of her own house. Tammy was there to comfort her.
She Wasn't Going To Call It Quits
Even though she may have been startled, Ginger wasn't ready to give up. She kept practicing her stalking skills on the moose. After that last close call, Ginger was even more curious about a mother that came onto the property and had two calves with her.
Once again, Ginger began to stalk around the family. Tammy loved watching Ginger become braver and braver as time passed. However, she was still nervous, since Ginger wouldn't stand a chance if the moose became aggressive.
She Made A Bold Move
It was clear that Ginger had become particularly confident in her newfound hunting skills. She had been practicing for a while, after all. As she watched the mother and her two calves, she made her boldest move yet.
She confidently charged down the hill toward the three animals until she was right in front of them. Instead of freaking out, the animals seemed more willing to make new friends than anything else. It was a very peaceful interaction.
Tammy's Reaction
At first, Tammy was holding her breath watching Ginger run directly up to the moose. However, once she realized that Ginger wasn't in any immediate danger, she relaxed. She believes that the mother didn't act aggressively toward Ginger because she could sense that the cat wasn't being aggressive and was just curious, especially about the calves.
She stated, "It seems like when there are babies, in particular, she likes to head out there." Ginger had made some friends!
An Entirely Different Cat
Ginger had come such a long way from the lazy, scared cat that she used to be. Tammy couldn't believe that was her Ginger outside interacting with moose! Not only was Ginger having fun, but the other moose and their calves were too!
It was evident that both parties were happy in each other's company, part of the reason why the moose kept visiting Ginger! It took Tammy a while to realize how bizarre the whole situation was, but she wasn't going to get in the way.
It Was Still Strange
What made the situation so strange was that mother moose are usually extremely defensive when it comes to their young, no matter how big or small the other animal or person. Jessy Coltrane from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game commented that "Young moose are very vulnerable."
It's their maternal instinct to protect their young no matter the cost. This doesn't apply to just moose either. Most mother animals are equally as protective.
This Was An Unusual Case
While some mother moose might not have appreciated an unknown animal coming around their young, that wasn't the case with Ginger! This moose, in particular, had no qualms with Ginger hanging out around her and her young, in fact, she seemed to enjoy it.
Tammy explained, "She's not bothering them. Like, I’ve never seen the moose get really upset. Even once there were two calves, she just didn’t care.” The calves weren't afraid of her either!
Ginger Has Always Been Unique
Although Ginger's newfound joy of "hunting" and stalking was a bit surprising, the fact that she had found friends in unusual places wasn't shocking to Tammy. She claims that Ginger had always marched to the beat of her own drum, and is as quirky as they come.
She commented that "She likes to put paper in her water dish and just kind of move it around. She also loves hanging out in the sink!"
She Knows How To Get What She Wants
Apparently, Ginger has never been big on meowing. While she does it on occasion, she has other tricks in order to get Tammy's attention. According to Tammy, "She'll get really close to your face, and just stare. And eventually, it wakes you up, like you can sense something’s there. It’s very terrifying, it makes me jump every time."
This is slightly odd considering how anxious she used to be. That's pretty assertive for a cat that's always scared!
Friends At The End
Ginger is still friendly with the mamma moose and her calves. Although they may make a rather odd group of friends, they don't seem to notice or mind. Today, they still enjoy each other's company and can be seen lounging around in the yard whenever the moose stop by for a visit.
Surely, the calves are one of the few moose to grow up with a cat as a friend! Little does the mother moos know that Ginger was practicing her hunting skills on them at first!
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