Checking On the Cats

Bob has been hanging around. I see him from a distance almost daily. He likes to rub against Malachi while Malachi tries to eat his hay. He stretches out in the sun along the fence line, ready to dash into the barn if he feels threatened. Occasionally he will peek out of a niche while I am in the barn.

I was curious if Dodger had returned so I set up my spy camera one more time. And, here are a few shots showing what I caught:

Here's Bob:

Bob is all black. 

Here's Freddie(the Freeloader):

I was thrilled to see that our visiting cat is still visiting.

I don't see him around the barn, so maybe he only comes by for food.

Recently when we had some snow I saw kitty prints heading across 

the street. Perhaps this is Freddie(the Freeloader)'s home. 

And look who also came for dinner!

It must be Dodger, our missing gray tabby:

He's back!!!

Well, maybe not!

It seems we have another freeloader!

Meet Rocky, the latest member of our barn clan!

He Eats Like a Bird

An update on the feral cats:

Dodger has left the area. I think. I haven't seen any photos of him using my spy camera (wildlife camera), so evidently he lived up to his name and dodged the situation as soon as I paved the way for his exit. (I saw him in the garage three days before I let the cats free, so I do know he put in the mandated two-week sentence. Well, perhaps I should say, I had a brief glimpse of his distinctive tail as he ran behind the bales of hay.) Perhaps he will return after he scopes out the neighborhood, or when the weather takes a turn, or whenever he feels like it. He is a cat, after all!

Freddie (the Freeloader) comes and goes. I catch him on camera now and then. I guess he's the sort of cat who likes to eat out on occasion!

Bob seems to be hanging around. He made the mistake (and I compounded it) of coming up to the house the other day. The dogs were excited. I thought they saw a bunny. I didn't see Bob slinking through the yard, until I opened the door. I am thinking that Bob may not come up to visit the house anytime soon! He was not received well by the dogs. They see "little animal that runs". They don't understand that I want him around.

When I upload pictures from my spy camera they pop up on the screen like this. They all look the same.

Bob. 

Bob eating. 

Bob eating.

Bob eating some more. 

Each picture has a time and date stamp. 

(As well as the phase of the moon and the temperature!)

When I look at them in my picture file, the information looks something like this:

Bob seems to be a snacker! He likes to eat a little every 3 hours or so! I guess you could say, he eats like a bird!

A Tale of Two Kitties

My new feral cats were incarcerated for two weeks. At least I'm sure that's how they viewed the experience! I had them locked in the garage part of the barn. I cleaned the litter box and made sure they had food and water each day. Other than the fact that food went in, and food came out in another form, I had no clue that cats were residing in the garage. I saw neither hide nor hair of them. Finally, the day arrived to let them loose. We have a small opening between the garage portion of the barn and the run-in shed of the barn.... and freedom!

I set my wildlife camera up in the run-in shed and lo and behold, I captured kitties. Well, at least images of kitties!
Here's Bob. All but one picture I captured is a picture of Bob. He loves looking through the hole, sleeping half in and half out of the hole, and sitting on the platform outside the hole.

Evidently, he also likes exploring. This silly cat went between the walls.

Do you see him peeking out?

Oh, boy. The little critters that plague me and eat the horse grain 

are in trouble with this guy around!

There were quite a number of shots of Bob sitting in this safe spot.

Here he looks like he actually took a snooze there.

Bob is black.

This is Bob.

This is Not Bob.

Therefore, this must be Dodger.

I published a post when I brought the cats home from the shelter two weeks ago with the only pictures I had of the cats. 

This is Bob

This is Dodger

This is Not Dodger.

This is Not Bob.

Who is this??!!

I have had a mysterious magical cat swap! 

Scaredy Cat

Pssst! Hey, you!

Me? You talkin' to me?

Yeah. Do I know you?

Sho 'nuf. I was two kennels 

to the left and one down 

from where you were stashed.

What d'ya think is going on?

I ain't got no clue. 

Don't like it. 

Nope, don't like it one stinkin' bit.

All this moving makes me want to puke.

Yeah. This is really scary. 

Last week I contacted the Denver Dumb Friends Animal League. They have been in operation, taking care of stray animals, since the early 1900's. They place cats, dogs, horses, gerbils.... you name it. Any animal that is 'dumb', as in it can't speak for itself, they take care of it until they can find a suitable home.

We have sorely missed our little feral cat. She was such a great mouser. The mice have been celebrating since she has gone and have invited the neighbors in. It is time to get a new barn kitty.

I submitted an online form to acquire a "working cat" from the Dumb Friends League. Working cats are those that can not live in a home. They are usually feral and don't seem inclined to become friendly with humans nor comfortable living in a home. (They certainly don't know what they are missing!) I received a call the next morning. That was fast! The League has a working cat for me. His name is Pop. He's a brown tabby and is about a year old. We Dreamers were at their door in just over an hour. While we were checking in with the receptionist, she asked if we wanted one or two cats. Well, heck, why not? In just a bit two carriers came out, covered in towels. One held Pop. The other held Bob. We put them in the back seat of the truck and transported them home. I already secured the garage area of the barn. I put out food, water and litter boxes ready for their arrival, as well as a few blankets and towels here and there. We have hay stored in part of this garage. I am convinced that stacked hay bales are kitty playgrounds. Our cats have always enjoyed hanging out in the hay.... and coincidently, I believe the mice may enjoy that as well. Perhaps not when the cats are around, however! We were warned that Pop is a "door dodger", so Mr. Dreamy took some fencing and secured it in an arc just inside the entry so it would be a bit more of a challenge for the cat to escape while I was entering or exiting. I decided that Pop had just earned his name, and would henceforth be called "Dodger". I was not especially fond of the name "Pop", especially paired with his new buddy, "Bob". Too similar!

The kennels were placed in the garage. The doors of the kennels were opened.... but not before I took a picture of each cat. I figured I wouldn't see them for a while. I was right. I know they are there - I fill the food bowl and empty the litter box. This morning I caught a flash of movement. But, I haven't seen any more of either of them. They will be locked in for another week (a recommendation from the League). It will be interesting to actually see the cats once they can begin moving about. Welcome cats. I am glad to have you here. I wish you long, happy lives with us.

Bob

Dodger (Pop)

At Least I Know

That's somewhat of a relief.
I'm not left to wait, and wonder.

But.... 

I do keep waiting, and gazing out to the barn.

Maybe I'm wrong?

My head tells me what happened,
but my heart does not.
I so want to be wrong about this!

Sunday morning I took a walk around the "neighborhood". I've been doing this lately, trying to get more exercise. As I crested the slight hill in front of our house I noticed a dead kitty on the road. Awww. But....wait a minute. Is that our kitty? My heart was in my throat. Between cars I made it across the road to get a closer look. I didn't really want to look. But, the cat is the right color. The face has no white. There is a bit of white on the feet. And...oh, no! The dead kitty has a clipped ear. Just like my sweet Stormy.

Before I got back to the kitty to take care of her, to bring her home and bury her, she was gone. A hawk? A coyote? The farmer across the way? Was it really my kitty?

I kept my eye out for Stormy throughout the day. She is usually very close to Malachi. She loves that horse. But I never saw her near him. But she does go off,  sometimes.

Stormy is feral. If I don't surprise her she might warily hold her ground about 25' from me, but not any closer. She doesn't come out if I call her. She doesn't meow when I talk to her. Today, she wasn't in any of her usual haunts. Not under the flat bed trailer Not on the hay bales. Not snoozing in a patch of sun in the run-in. Even though she doesn't connect with me.... I am feeling an empty spot in my heart.

Rest in peace, sweet Stormy. 

You were the best barn kitty. 

I shall really miss you.

Another Mystery

I find it interesting to see how the pieces of a puzzle come together....

The first piece of the puzzle was the plastic I had taped over the hole leading into the hay storage area of the barn. It had been shoved out of place.
"Darn...(well, the words were a bit stronger than that)!" Dreaming commented to no one (or at least she thought it was no one.) "The *#&*^%) pigeons have been trying to get in there to nest."

The second piece of this puzzle was the dead mouse. I have had a huge mouse problem in the barn, so seeing a mouse was no big deal. But, a dead one? Gypsy had it. She had shown renewed interest in peering intently into the hay and sticking her nose under the hay pallets. Had she somehow caught a mouse?
"Hmmm," Dreaming thought to herself, "a mouser dog. Ain't that something!"

The third piece of the puzzle were the tracks. After our first storm I saw muddy tracks in the snow. Sure, the tracks could have been bunny tracks. Lord knows, we are overrun with the little critters. But, I saw the prints from four distinct pads. Usually the prints from the bunny rear legs show their whole lower leg.
"Well," Dreaming thought, "maybe bunnies 'tip toe' through the mud and snow."

The pieces came together when Mr. Dreamy asked if I had seen our "new cat"! He saw the cat outside the barn. Just a quick glimpse, but enough to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. We have a new barn cat!

I've named the cat Stormy, since we first actually saw him after one of our big snow storms. He is very elusive. We also call him the ghost cat. I've put food and water out for him, trying to encourage him to stick around. I've found bits of kill here and there. He is a good barn kitty! He is totally feral. We've seen him from a distance, but I've only seen him up close one time when I cut the baling twine on a bale of hay that he was hiding under. I only saw him for an instant as he took off in a flash!

It will be interesting to see if he ever gains trust in us.

Our one photo of Stormy, taken with a looonnngggg lens!

Proof positive!