Things to do in Italy while visiting your cat
June 11th, 2008
This is one of the things you might see if you spend time with your cat on the terrace. They come out very late and night and dig holes in the lawn. In a single night a pair of them can destroy over 10 square meters! They never work for the Italian Postal Service.
They always work in pairs. They mate for life, we are told. They are not very intelligent animals, so for life doesn’t mean that long. I have been told several times that hitting one can puncture your tires. I frankly have a hard time believing that.
The above photograph came from a website that should be bookmarked for every lover of Italy. It’s called “Life in Italy” and the “Wildlife in Italy” page lays bare who is doing all that damage to your garden while you sleep. There are insect photographs that instill character and charm into bugs. To be perfectly honest, I have never seen an Italian porcupine looking so laid back and chubby. They always have their enormous spines up when I see them, and then it looks like a tiny creature with an exaggerated hairdo.
Are you feeling well today? If not, have a look here at what is growing in this garden to make you feel better.
Hungry? Here is a recipe made of the familiar nettle — a herb you will find bothers your cat not at all.
Here a claim is made that Italian snails and slugs like red wine instead of beer. Beware of the last photo on that page. You might be willing to sacrifice your plants to that face.
10 Comments Add your own
1. amanda@A Tuscan View... | June 11th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Oh that one is sooo cute, we have a family of 3 living somewhere near here and they always have their spines up when ever I see them. Swaying and clanking from side to side they look such a sight. Have you ever seen the soles of their feet (I saw a dead one once, feet up) they are pink like babies feet, so weird. Something (not porcs) is digging small deep holes in our garden (I use that term loosely), they are about 3 to 5 inches in diameter and seem quite deep. Any ideas?
2. admin | June 12th, 2008 at 8:42 am
@amanda@A Tuscan View…:
I say it is the talpa or the cecco. They only make the holes. Later, voles will use the holes to eat the plant roots. Bad… they killed all my pinks this winter.
3. eg | June 12th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
The porcupine is cute. The slug is not cute.
4. Cherrye at My Bella Vita | June 12th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Wow. He *is* cute. I would be scared if I saw him up close, though!
5. admin | June 12th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
@Cherrye at My Bella Vita:
No worries. Now you’re married AND a B&B operator, you’ll never see 2 AM again, until a baby comes.
6. admin | June 12th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
@eg:
No? I thought it was a cute pic of a snail– not a slug. Slugs are homeless.
7. Scintilla | June 12th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Hi,
Thanks for pointing out that website. I\\\’ve put it under favourites.
I have talpe (moles) in my garden in Luxembourg. They make mounds here rather than holes. I have to protect the roots of the plants with netting because the voles (?) will eat anything !
Rosa
8. admin | June 12th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Voles will eat anything. Tie up the children, get the dogs inside, they WILL eat anything.
9. eg | June 13th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
It was too gross for a close look.
10. admin | June 13th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Then go look at My Bella Vita where you can see Italy’s lately found unicorn!
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