Cat Study

I am sure you have heard of the latest study saying cats kill billions of birds and small animals.  My cats drag in animals and birds.  Yet, I am certain that humans kill more animals than all the animals in the world combined.  Windows kill more birds than animals do.  One could go on and on.  So it makes me wonder who funded this study and what their agenda is.  Where are The Lone Gunmen when you need them?  By the way, the sweetest cat on earth, Boo, Teddy's brother, just wants to be tickled.  Nothing more.  

Catdog

Here lies Teddy, playing in the asparagus patch, posing of course.  Named after a teddy bear, he is the most cuddly, lovable, friendly and best all-around cat on the planet.  Really, more dog-like than a cat, all he wants to do is play or cuddle up to us and our dogs.  As a teeny little baby, he would run out from the barn to greet us on our four wheelers.  After an abscess and subsequent neutering, he came to live up at the house with us.  

Who's This?

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you'll know that about 4 years ago, my farm became overrun with feral cats. I could not spay or neuter enough of them fast enough. And, did I say that I love every one of them, mean and not. So, after much money, time etc., I started my herd on birth control. I mix it into soft food once a week. Three times this year, a mother cat didn't come feed that day, and here is a result. I asked the vet about this and she said, "how many litters would you have had if you weren't giving them birth control?" My answer is many more. This little kitten was the only one left in the most recent litter after the raccoons found them. I could not just leave it there to be eaten that night. So... Did I mention besides the barn cats, I have four up at the house that go in and out the doggie door? They have all been fixed.

I hope this one will go to a new home at my granddaughter's house. Isobel loves it so and in fact, has named it Jasmine. I don't know if her father is going to let her have it though. Meanwhile, I am feeding it kitten formula and soft cat food and trying not to get too attached. Does anyone out there want a kitten?

CATS AND DOGS

Here is Teddy again, in the cat bird seat. He is the best cat around. Has it all.

This is Midge. She is one of MeanMom's. She is the only girl cat that comes in the house.

Here is Midge when she was tiny. Boo and Teddy let her climb all over them; withstand her constant kitten things that she does. She now flips around and play fights with them and is nearly as big as they are.

Midge tries to play with Emmy and Sister, but they are wary of her kind of playing. So, they let her sleep with them instead.

And here is MeanMom the feral cat that took over our garage. She has had about 5 litters of kittens in our garage. I started working on her about 6 months ago and finally got her tame enough to let me pet her. She loves the petting, but doesn't know whether to bite and scratch between tickles. Last week, she slapped my glasses off. Is that where they got 'scratch your eyes out'?Finally, I got her in a cage and she got spayed yesterday. What a commotion. Try putting a wild cat in a cage. When I got her to the vet, they were trying to figure how to get her out of the cage, even talked about snaring her. I made a quick retreat. I figured she wouldn't ever trust me again, but this morning she wanted a tickle. Wonder if she'll still rule the garage and its surroundings. My weenies are afraid of her.

Finally, it isn't all fun and games living with my pets. I have to cover my new Ethan Allen sectional with sheets and towels (good thing it didn't come with plastic). They bring in all kinds of creatures - salamanders, lizards, frogs, butterflies, rats and last week, a blue bird and a cardinal. And, this window in my guest room is no more. Midge knocked it to the floor last week. The animals cost me a fortune and are more trouble than they are worth. That's not even including Birdie, who is biting my back as I type this. Even with all the trouble my animals cause me, I can't imagine my life without them.

Feral Barn Cats

If you read the earlier post about my cats and barn cats, then you will have read one about MeanMom, the feral barn cat. It has taken me over a year but this week we have finally broken through and bonded somewhat. Yea! She would always spit and hiss and jump at us (me and my wieners). Then she would meow around and talk to me, but if I bent down or looked at her cross ways, she'd start hissing and growling etc. Wouldn't let me go too near. Well, I have persisted and last week when I'd hold my hand to her she would slap it, then claw it over to her and bite it then lick it. I got in a few rubs before she'd slap me. Now, I can just rub her and she circles around my legs rubbing, purrs while I stroke her back. Major accomplishment! I took two barn cats to get spayed last week and have 3 more to do including MeanMom. And I would have taken her in too but she would not work with my timetable and is a little too fat now. But, progress has been made! I guess now I'll have to start calling her MomCat.

Here is MeanMom clawing and pulling my hand to her and biting it.

MeanMom when she had finally gotten to the stage where she would come within 6 feet of me but no more than that. She still swats me and the other cats and dogs, but, the other day I saw her peeking in the doggie door to see where we all were. By the way, MeanMom isn't a barn cat anymore. She moved herself up to my garage, which she rules over, some time ago.