Covid-19 Turned My Cat into a Serial Killer

Summary

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a house cat named Josie to become more aggressive, turning her into a prolific hunter of small animals as a coping mechanism for increased household stress and lack of personal space.

Abstract

Josie, a domestic cat, has been exhibiting unusual behavior since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. With her owner and two children confined to the home due to lockdown measures, Josie has been unable to find solitude, leading to increased aggression towards her kittens and a transformation into a serial killer of small animals. Her hunting spree, which started with a single mouse, has escalated to include multiple mice, shrews, and birds. The author empathizes with Josie's need for space, drawing parallels with their own desire for alone time amidst the constant presence of family members. While the family appreciates Josie's pest control services, they remain watchful of her behavior, aware that her hunting could escalate to larger prey.

Opinions

The author believes that the pandemic-induced confinement has significantly affected Josie's mental state, leading to her aggressive behavior.
Josie's need for personal space and time away from her kittens is understood and empathized with by the author.
The author expresses concern about the potential for Josie's hunting to escalate, but also a willingness to overlook her behavior so long as it is limited to pests.
The author humorously suggests that Josie's hunting could become problematic if she starts targeting larger animals like raccoons or rabbits.
There is a sense of resignation and denial about Josie's behavior, as the author acknowledges the possibility of being harmed by Josie if they were to slip up, but chooses to ignore it as long as the hunting is confined to small prey.

Covid-19 Turned My Cat into a Serial Killer

Sweet Josie relaxing after a killing spree. Photo by the author

Being stuck inside with her kids made her snap.

We’ve heard a lot about the emotional impact of Covid-19 on humans. Social distancing, no hugs, people struggling with emotional difficulties during a shelter in place order. But we’ve heard very little about the impact on our animals. My dog seems to be in emotional heaven. My cat Josie has turned into a serial killer.

She has two kittens in the house. She’s a great mom until her kittens reach a certain age, then she wants them gone, or dead. These kittens are here still because of Covid-19. One of the kittens’ future owners lost his job in the service industry and therefore has not secured his new apartment. The other will be here through August when he secures a new place. The Mom usually sleeps on the couch by the dog all day. But with shelter in place orders, there are two children home who would have otherwise been in school. There is also a Peace Corps volunteer here, who was evacuated home because of Covid-19. She has no space on the couch. And when she walks around her kittens follow her and won’t leave her alone. I get it, I do. We all need a little time to ourselves. The solution came through us letting her out to be by herself during the day. She seems much less angry and ready to fight after she’s been outside. To me, this is like having a long car ride by myself, listening to music.

Her ventures outdoors soon progressed. It started small, as it does with serial killers. She took a baby mouse. One mouse, no big deal. But now we’ve become worried. It went from one mouse, to in a matter of weeks, she’s progressed to four mice and a shrew in one killing spree. We appreciate it because these are things we don’t want to find their way into our house. But with this bloodthirsty serial killer living here, we doubt they would. We think she’s above 10 mice, 1 shrew, and two birds now. When she returns from a spree, she’s relaxed and fights less with her kittens.

I believe the mental stress of no escape from the kids and no alone time has caused her to snap. As a mom, I very much relate. By the end of the day, with one five-year-old, one seventeen years old and a grown man in the house, I would like to sit in my car for a few hours by myself or maybe find someone to punch. These walls day in day out can make a person snap. They’ve definitely made my cat snap. We’re waiting for her to leave a raccoon or rabbit on the sidewalk. At that point, we’re turning her in. But if she’s taking out mice who may want in our house, we’re turning the other cheek in denial. I do know, in case you’re wondering, that the minute she catches e slipping, I’m a goner. But so long it’s just mice, birds and small rodents, we’re going to pretend she’s okay. Nothing wrong with this cat. She’s just a little different. A little anti-social, and slightly bloodthirsty, truth be told. How are your pets surviving the pandemic?