The monster returns.

Strangest things happen around here. Last year I noted that my new duck boot had been partly eaten in the middle of the night by some critter. Now, this.

What you see here is a long tether, made up of two tethers, that permits baby dog Izzy to run around like a loon in the backyard without leaving the property. At some point in the dark of night, some critter literally chewed both of them to pieces. 

This is very peculiar. The tethers were made out of cotton, so I suppose they could have provided sustenance to some creatures, or maybe they got hungry enough to think it would. But cotton is actually not good for any mammal, as far as I've been able to determine. And whatever cut these six-foot tethers into small pieces was very determined and must have stayed at it a long while. What could it be?

Before you ask, let me say that baby dog Izzy has an alibi. 

Besides, we've had three dogs on these things, and sometimes they've tried to chew them but never got far. They're tough. I'm sure any of the dogs could have chewed through in time, but look at those cuts! Neat and clean. Like they got run over by some farm machine. 

So again, what could have done this? If someone wanted to pull a prank on us, there are much worse and easier things to do so than cutting our tethers up. Even with hedge clippers, this would have been a good amount of work. Critter-wise, we have deer, groundhogs, rabbits, turtles, ducks, geese, small birds, chipmunks, snakes, squirrels, skunks, foxes, an occasional coyote, and a very occasional bobcat or bear. It's been a very mild winter, and none of them should be desperate for food, and some of them should be on vacation. 

I don't even know what could do this, or would bother. 

I never did earn my Critter Badge in Cub Scouts, so if any of you have any ideas, please drop a line in comments. I'll be sticking with petroleum-based tethers from now on.