Our doorbell rang unexpectedly. It was my sweet friend and neighbor across the street, but she was not here for chit chat or happy greetings. She saw another neighbor "toss something" into our pans of cat food and water for the street cats. (Let me remind people that we have, of our own accord, sterilized 10 cats and managed to control the unwanted population at least in our own little piazzetta.) It was by pure chance that she happened to see it occur.
So, it was discovered that there were tiny pellets or seeds tossed into the food and water pans. My immediate reaction was that this was some kind of poison. As I frantically tried to identify what it was, my friend's husband was confronting the man who did it. Yes, indeed, it was poison....."for mice," For mice? What mice? In the more than three years we have lived here I have seen one tiny little mouse...dead, in the street. Since this is a "city," and a city of stone, there are traps here and there placed about every piazzetta. I have never encountered a rat, either. Nor does it seem that anything has ever been confined to those traps. Whatever.
So....poison...in the cat food and water. Tossed in the street. Domestic dogs, indoor/outdoor cats, birds and children are in those streets. "Our" cats (the ones we tried to take in but they refused the indoor life) are neutered and are not contributing to a burgeoning population of kittens.
On closer inspection, of course there are multiple precautions one should take with this stuff. Such as wearing a mask and gloves and NOT just spreading it around willy-nilly, but confining it to indoor spaces and outdoor traps.
We, naturally, were livid and upset. It was made worse because, of course, the guy is trying to weasel his way out of responsibility by playing dumb. "I saw TWO BIG mice!" Oh, wow! An epidemic!!! What, exactly, is a BIG mouse??? Just wondering. I'm sure they were just strolling along and saying "hi" to the cats as they passed through.
Then he attempted to say that "cats don't eat it." Well, it isn't made for cats, nor is it made for dogs or children, but, given the opportunity any one of them might shove some in their mouths. Which is why there are myriad instructions for use and freaking WARNINGS!!! all over the container.
We informed another cat owner down the street of the incident and perhaps we will inform a friend of ours who is actually a member of the city government. This sort of backward, provincial behavior can't be tolerated any longer. It is, after all, the 21st Century.
On the other hand....just when you think all hope is lost...something happens. Well, two things happened. Our health insurance coverage (national health coverage) remained the same price this year as last, and I went to the Poste Italiane to pay for it today and it all went very smoothly.
Second, our doorbell rang unexpectedly this evening. It was the parents of our young friend. They brought us a rather large tray of sweets. Parrozze (almond cakes covered in chocolate), candied almonds and sfogliatella (a shell shaped cookie of puff pastry filled with either jam or chocolate.) Our friend once told us his mother had worked for "the best bakery in town."
We could not invite them in (although we did...but they declined and rightfully so) because of Covid, which is surging once again. But what a lovely surprise!!! Out of nowhere and just when we needed it. Serendipity.
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