It’s often animal instincts that drives pets to protect their adopted families, a colleague narrated. On a recent visit to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, she came across an amazing tale of how cats managed to keep a snake at bay. Known for its greenery and dense forest, the Andamans have no season for rain. Because of the high humidity and constant precipitation, even the residential area is covered with lots of trees and lush greenery.
Our colleague’s family friends, who are residents of the Andamans, recounted that a big black poisonous snake, over five feet long, came on to their front yard. Their elder son spotted the snake and rushed indoors. Soon after, he saw two of their pet cats approaching the snake. As it was difficult for the two of them to tackle the reptile, three more cats joined them. While they maintained a safe distance, the five cats encircled the snake and prevented it from crawling away.
Meanwhile, the children informed their father in the office, who sent a snake catcher with his driver to help avert any mishap. It took them over 10 minutes to reach the place. And all the while the five felines kept the snake within their circle. The snake catcher also found it difficult to get past the cats to approach the reptile. He eventually managed to capture it and, given its length and the fact that it was poisonous, took him a while to safely put it away in his basket.
But what the family was astounded about the entire episode was the way their pet cats came to their defence. It just goes to prove how animals show their loyalty, often in the worst of situations.