From the kitchen, we could see Minerva - our tiny, runt-like tabby cat - sitting up by the gate chewing on something.

"Oh, she's just biting the head off a vole," we thought, as you do. Our cats like a nice warm vole for breakfast.

I strolled outside to say hello. As I got closer, I realised it was bigger than a vole. At first, I thought she might have found and killed the mole we recently saved (at extreme peril to ourselves - see the 'Wild wildlife' at the WebVivant blog).

But there was something wrong. The thing she was chewing on was still big, but it clearly had no head.

And then I knew. Mini was snacking on the rear half of a rabbit. When complete, the creature must have been nearly the same size as the cat. An impressive kill.

I left her to it. But that wasn't good enough for her.

We had breakfast, and just as I headed off to the office I noticed something on the living room floor.

Mini had had her fill. She couldn't manage a whole rabbit and so had thoughtfully left us the hind legs, delicately crossed in a balletic pose. How thoughtful.