Sleeping Kitties
My yard kitties.
I have written about how, in short order many years ago, I saved three sets of kittens: two sets of five, and one set of four.
Set #3 has now fully moved to Florida.
In the image above, are the remaining Set #1 and Set #2 kitties. From left to right: Purrmatic (Set #1), Spook (#1), Fine (#2), Miss Asia ((#2), and Spot (#1). Flash is also still around (#1), but he left the fenced yard years ago and has been a ‘wild’ one ever since. He was on my front porch today. He is the smartest cat I have ever had and, clearly, has containment issues.
Last December a big storm took out a large section of my cat fence and it took me months to rebuild it. To my great surprise, none of my yard kitties ever left the yard, or even went near the downed fence. It was as if the fenced yard WAS their reality and anything past it just did not compute. Maybe.
So, of the original 14 kitties, I now have 6. I did not not realize this until writing this post.
In addition, I have two indoor kitties, Gray and the new Bella. While each spends a lot of time in the fenced yard I insist though that they come inside before my bedtime.
This means that I now officially have 8 cats, down from over 20 at some point. 20 cats = Crazy Cat Person. What though does 8 mean? Veering Over The Edge Cat Person?
During the next few years I expect that the 6 outdoor kitties will all depart to Florida. And it will be weird having less than a handful of cats, again. As, for most of my adult life this was normal. In my 20s and 30s and most of my 40s I had, usually, three cats. Then…
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Awww a CATch-all!
Such sweet kitties. Bless you for rescuing them.
I freely admit I am an unashamed dog person. I have two right now. Diana was intentional and Freyja was an impulse adopt. We drove three hours to get her, mostly because she was red carded and I don’t know when they would be taking her for that last walk on the Green Mile. I regret nothing.
Some cats have decided my front porch is *the* place to be. The security camera picks them up and I have encountered one personally a few times. There is an orange one with stripes (tabby?) that I was seeing but haven’t for a few weeks. Then the black one that seems to have decided my front yard is his territory and hangs out about the porch periodically all day and night. A few days ago I saw a gray cat with some faint stripes (tabby?) It seems younger and likes to jump on the parcel box on the porch and then hang out on the porch railing. Last night the cameras picked up what looked like it might be a white cat or Siamese but it also could have been that gray cat as it was up on the parcel box too.
I will not be putting food out as I don’t want to encourage them, not with the dogs. Freyja surprised the black one the other day when we came home from visiting my parents (and a trip to the vet). The black one was fast and Freyja had a nice if fruitless romp. It has been a very dry year so feral or neighbor cats, I might put a bowl of water out. They all seem to be pretty healthy, not skinny or emaciated so they are eating well. I hope they don’t discover I have field mice in my back yard. I would rather put out some water than risk them chancing the back yard and drinking out of the buckets of water I leave out for the dogs. If the dogs surprise them it’s a bullet train to Florida.
Hahahahahaha…not surprised at all. We actually had a cat for 21 years. .. it was the most awesome creature.
Wow, 21 he/she is definitely part of the family. We took in a stray kitten who was about 6 weeks old, our neighbor took his brother, he is now 20. I’m hoping he makes it to 21.
Ross, for most of my life, I had around three cats. Then I moved to a more rural area, where there were so many strays that needed homes! So I started working with my local shelter, taking in ones they could not adopt out for various reasons like medical issues, or being semi-feral. I also fostered for them, mostly the bottle babies but a few moms about to give birth or terribly sick cats that needed subQ fluids. Some of the bottle babies never did get healthy, having ongoing issues, so a few of them stayed. I currently have 21 cats, only two of whom go outside (strays who won’t stay in). I do have a large catio for them. Some are quite fearful, and happily live in one room where they are finally bonding with my 14 year old who homeschools in there. Last year, Iowa changed the laws so that people who own more than five animals cannot foster. My shelter lost most of their foster placements. I cannot foster anymore and it was heartbreaking. We usually had two or three dozen bottle babies each year. My shelter had to hire someone JUST to recruit new foster placements. As I get older, I plan on no more new animals (I also have two rescue dogs.) so eventually, I will no longer be the crazy cat lady. But for now, I am enjoying the cats so much, and not minding all the labor involved in their care at all!
I think there is room in your heart for any cat that wanders into your life.
My wife and I weren’t planning on getting a second dog, but our “back fence “ neighbor found the last runt of the litter in need of a home. She was supposed to be all Shih Tzu. She was less than 3 pounds when we got her an needed 2 vet visits the first week. She has grown up now and just made it to 10 pounds. We are certain her daddy is Yorkie because of her coat and build (the breeder also had Yorkies).
She is black with a white puff on her face and white slippers on her back feet. She is definitely a big part of the the family.
How adorable, so innocent right? You’re not an over the edge cat person because only two live inside. You are just a cat loving person. They are obviously happy in your yard, not leaving when part of the cat fence was taken out by the storm. I’m sure you will pick up more cats along the way, you will never have just two cats. haha
I think it’s awesome that you rescue kitties, Ross. We have one who is part lion and part dog. He is a large orange kitty, Griffey, Jr. He lives indoors and loves his people unless he doesn’t (this is where he is typical cat). Grid will be 4 this year and I can’t imagine life without him now that he is here. Thanks for sharing!
Lol, cats are like potato chips…….you can’t have just one…….
Seriously, though, I’ve had my share through the years, although I have only one now, I live with 2 other guys, and we have 4 between us. I’m sure they are the only ones that really love us.
Potato chips!! LOL that explains everything
Catastic!
My eldest daughter is a crazy cat lady who feeds the neighborhood ferals and rescues their kittens and puts them up for adoption. She has 5 housecats and there are usually 10-15 ferals that visit her feeding stations 🌙 nightly. She also feeds and nurtures the urban wildlife – skunks, raccoons, and possums.
Thanks for sharing. I needed this today. Lovely kitties.