Ninja doing her best modeling poses and a cat in need

Yes. Ninja is still very much with us. No. She has decidedly put up her cute little beak at the very idea of the new house even though I've tried tempting her in with food and, the latest trick, putting her water dish just inside the door to get her used to the idea. Apparently, buying her a split-level home with amenities such as a nesting box and roost do nothing for her. The good news is that she is now perceiving me as less of a threat and more as a trusted servant. She'll come within 3 feet when I call for breakfast and afternoon snack. Today, she allowed appropriate social distancing and gave me her best modeling poses:

I suspect if she could do a duck face, she would.

Now on to Tesla - a beautiful cat in need of a permanent home pronto (though fostering would be helpful too!!!). Lifeline for Pets is putting out this urgent plea:

We are reaching out to you to see if you can help network this sweet but shy girl. If you know of anyone, you can refer them to our website to fill out our adoption application, www.lifelineforpets.org/cat-adoption-application-revised.html. Tessy’s  story is also on our website’s Adult Cats page, at www.lifelineforpets.org/teens--adult-cats.html. Just scroll down a bit there & you will see more pix and her cute video.

 

We had Tesla (and her twin sister) from a baby, but it took awhile before they found a home because they were shy. At last, a nice gentleman adopted them. Then, in 2020, the man passed away and the twins ended up at a local kill shelter, even though they should have been returned to us. They were understandably very confused and frightened. Finally, they were released to us. Fast forward to them first being boarded, then taken to the vet for exams, then to our cat den. Finally, they each went to foster homes (they were not bonded).  Tesla relates well to men, probably because her original owner was a man. She loves to be petted by her foster dad, even though her foster mom lives there, too. She would do well as a single cat, no dogs, and a quiet home. Dontcha just want to run your fingers through that fur!

 

Wind, Rain and Fire -- sounds like a song...

Yup. I think the universe is trying to tell us something. The Santa Ana winds are starting up and though we've managed, so far, to escape the worst winds, it's enough to play mild havoc with garden, trees, and other things about the place. My greatest worry is, of course, that crazy hen we love yet cannot tame. Well, that's not entirely true. She allows me to get within 3-5 feet of her now, especially if I have her fruit and veggie treats. I've been adding bits of cheese on the advice of a chicken whisperer (you know who you are), and that's made her a bit more forgiving for trespassing on her territory. 

Yesterday, in preparation for what we were assured were devastating winds, I made the bold decision to move her house from the spot we set it up (where she chose to so completely ignore it I figured it was a wash) over to her favorite hangout. We didn't place it there initially because it's by the wall where predators can easily sneak up (we have two feral kitties that have taken to hanging out with naughty intentions in spite of multiple conversations about appropriate behavior). But with devastating winds predicted, it seemed a more protected place. The other plus is that, theoretically at least, we would be better able to lure her inside. Yeah, right. But, we'll keep trying. And trying.

So here's her new home:

And here is her highness scooting right by it:

Now, you may wonder what the toilet tank is doing there. I use those for planters (along with stray toilet bowls for that matter) and will start planting things chickens are supposed to like in there. It goes without saying that if all the chickens in the world like something, Ninja will put up her cute little nose at it, but hope springs eternal...sure, we'll go with that.