Cat Fight

Blacky's claw

Heard some screeching in the backyard the other day. It sounded like a couple of cats, which wouldn't worry me too much. They'll take a couple of swipes at each other but they don't usually persist. All normal and expected. However, we lost a cat to a raccoon a few years ago, so there is always the possibility that our cat has gotten tangled up with a raccoon, and that's not good. So I stepped outside. Our cat, Gus, sweet lovable orange fur-ball Gus, was mixing it up with a mostly black cat, also long haired. They were pretty intent on impressing each other with how bad-ass they were, I had to holler at them twice before they broke off. Gus ran off, blacky ran off when I clapped my hands.
    There is a crawl space under the basement floor with vents through the foundation. There are small wells outside these vents with galvanized steel retaining "walls", maybe 18 by 9 inches by 6 inches deep. Not very big. Both cats were holding their war inside this little well. I would say that they were nuts, but that would be redundant, wouldn't it?
    Later on older son was inspecting Mr. Gus for damage and found a claw stuck in the top of his head. That's not good, but who got the better side of that deal? Gus, who got stabbed in the head? Or blacky, who lost a claw? Since hard-headed Gus doesn't seem any the worse for wear and Blacky is now short one claw I'm gonna declare Gus the victor.