Oh happy Friday! Well, truthfully, almost everyday is like a Friday but it seems that I should keep that regular view that we develop in our working life...unless one works weekends, then Friday might not be the Yay Day.
A lot has happened cat wise in the past week and with that comes mixed emotions. Thursday morning Roy could only remember seeing Bevo or as we started calling him, the Beav, at breakfast. Didn't see any of the gray and white kittens all day and when the evening rolled around, no kittens were playing in the backyard. By Friday morning, I had pretty much accepted that those kittens are probably not around. On that Wednesday night while sitting on the back porch I watched the kittens play on the driveway and even in the dark, all that white fur was accentuated by the black asphalt. The thought came to mind that Punky should gather those babies up and take them under the front porch. She had also just started taking them up to the fence near the gravel road. That didn't seem like a very good idea either but hey, cat world and cat thinking...are foreign to me. The paw under the fence game reminded me so much of Cali and Riley. They played that game for great lengths of time, never seemingly tiring of it. The loss of those three gray and white kittens hit hard. They were in the backyard earlier than any other litter. I had helped Punky rescue them several times and I had been able to pet them. They had restored joy in the cat world for me. Last Wednesday evening Bevo didn't seem particularly interested in playing and that probably saved his life. Punky called for those kittens and searched every nook and cranny, and by Saturday seemed to be accepting of the fact, they were no longer here. She and Strawyer watch over Bevo, but not like helicopter parent cats. Mama Cat comes and goes. Camo shows up and then is gone for days that is until recently.
The other night there was an uneasiness in the backyard. Strawyer and Punky sat near one another keeping their eyes glued to the upper corner of the yard, near the gravel road. This was whatever day that it seemed like Bevo had disappeared from the loving confines of the yard. Up on a rock sat Camo and her two remaining older kittens. This reminded me of the change of guard when Cali lost her kittens to rescue efforts and Camo took over the back forcing Cali and Riley to look elsewhere for shelter as Camo brought Punky and Strawyer to set up residency. One of her kittens is the spitting image of Mr Meany in the face, so that always unnerves me a bit. They watched everything that was not going on or going on in the yard. Camo's second kitten sat farther back near the fence. It remained this terse line of power till dusk. Camo and her two went back into the dense vegetation that is found along the side of the gravel road. Here is the shocker. Under that cover of darkness a black and white cat moved stealthily among the firs. Because of all the white around the neck, for a moment the brief thought of Riley came but no white tip on the tail. This cat has a mostly black face with a bit of white. It made me go back to pics of MJ to see if it was him, although I saw him get killed by dogs. This morning the black and white cat came very close, must be male cause his interest was in Punky, much to Strawyer's annoyance. I shooed him off. Where did this black and white cat come from?
Last night only one of Camo's kittens hung around the top rock. Camo seemed annoyed with its presence and took swipes at it. Camo didn't bring or nudge that kitten to come to the food. Now, I have decided not to do much with Camo's latest brood but dang...that sad face and that hungry look tugged at the heart strings. I shouldn't have done this at all but I took a little food up to where the kitten hides, not thinking at all of proper footwear and I hadn't changed my clothes. so I am out there climbing up that slippery incline, cause it rained all afternoon, slipping and sliding on pine needles with my casual shoes and linen outfit while making my way up to where the food needed to be placed. Only thing, I think Camo ate most of it.
The mole population is on the decline around here. When any of the cats look like they are playing soccer, I know they have a dead mole. The Beav had an especially good game last Friday with one of those little mole things. They'll bring them close to where they eat but I am so thankful they have stopped gifting me with the mole beside their dishes.
This morning they were all waiting for breakfast in their regular places. All of them...well except for Mama Cat and Mysterious Black and White cat. I took my time taking out the food cause Camo had been aggravating Buddy through the door on the porch and I don't take kindly to that kind of thing.
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As it happens, cat world changes at the least little thing. Saturday, when the Sunday School class was over for a party, all the cats were on display. Camo's gray and white kittens stayed on the upper corner, Punky, Strawyer and Beav kept their presence in the backyard. Sunday comes, only the little family of three is around and it is the same this morning. Camo has probably moved on for a bit but will be back like always.
In previous posts I have said how much I am learning from watching and interacting with these feral cats. Each generation is different but the fact still is, feral life is hard, even with help.
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