This story may offend some reptile enthusiasts and for that I will appologize in advance. I too...love most reptiles. However, I am not a real cheerleader for snakes. I carry them in my store because they are popular. But I can't bond with an animal that doesn't have the ability to bond back...and will be inclined to snatch my hand on occassion just because I moved in a way that reminded him of food.

When my daughter, Candice (who is now Dr. Candice Andrews DVM) brought home a King snake as a pet...let's just say I was not enthused. Nor was I amused...in any way. She was in college beginning her arduous struggle to become a vet so I tried to understand that this was part of being the mother of a blossoming veterinarian. I'm sure Steve Irwin's mother probably had an interesting time raising him as a child, as well. My girls also turned a kiddy pool from Walmart into a turtle sanctuary---IN THEIR BEDROOM when they were growing up.

Candice has always loved cats and at the time we had a cat named "Idget" that was of abysynnian descent. Her name didn't start out as "Idget" but that was the name she ended up with because my husband was always screaming, "Someone get that idiot cat!"...idgiot..cat...became her name. She talked incessantly. She was extremely destructive and very cocky about it. She "allowed" us to live with her. I had never been close to Idget because I'm a dog person. However, Idget and I had a common understanding...we neither one trusted the King snake. I'd catch Idget's eye occassionally as she looked into the critter cage...she was formulating a plan.

We had the snake for over a year. The snake ate ravenously and was growing by leaps and bounds. I really worried about what we'd do when the snake was 5 feet long. I really didn't know if I would be able to sleep at night.

Then it happened...Candice came home from college and the snake was gone. Gone as in....to heaven gone. It was torn to shreds in it's cage. Idget was stretched out on the sofa, one leg extended high in the air as she groomed herself...very non-chalant. She wasn't owning up to anything...

I think she realized that eventually ole' snake would be looking at her like she was food....she saw what the snake did to the rats we were bringing it and she decided to take him down before he got too big to make it difficult.

Can't say I blamed her....

But I did try to be a little sympathetic to Candice as she mourned the loss of her pet snake....I was trying for an academy award for best actress.

Later that evening...Idget and I cuddled on the sofa together for the first time.

I've been a cat person ever since.........

There's a lot going on in that cat's brain....very interesting stuff---I've found. Don't ever under estimate them.

Talk to you all soon! Come see me at the store!

Debby