$VAR1 = {
          'node-cat-bat-bat-bat' => 5,
          'node-bat-bat-cat' => 4,
          'node-cat-cat-bat-bat' => 2,
          'node-cat-cat-cat' => 4,
          'node-cat' => 2,
          'node-cat-cat-cat-cat' => 5,
          'node-cat-cat' => 3,
          'node' => 1
        };

Delete children of node-cat-cat
Deleting node-cat-cat-bat-bat
Deleting node-cat-cat-cat
Deleting node-cat-cat-cat-cat

Final Hash:
$VAR1 = {
          'node-cat-bat-bat-bat' => 5,
          'node-bat-bat-cat' => 4,
          'node-cat' => 2,
          'node-cat-cat' => 3,
          'node' => 1
        };