Well her bags are packed to move in...

My friend K and I, along with Nick's and Nellie's approval, have named the cat who is gracing us with her presence, Misty. She's not responding to that of course, but she happily eats the food she's offered (after she hisses at me for coming near her). Rummaging around in a back shed I found the small cat carrier kept for wildlife rescues and brought it forward to the patio. After removing the door and placing a towel inside, it seemed it would be the perfect hideout for her. Long-suffering partner scoffed and said she wouldn't use it for fear of being trapped. Allow me to gloat...she did indeed take to it and was still there in the morning. When I went out to top up her water bowl, she stood at the door to the carrier and hissed at me as if to say "stay away from my house!" Naturally her wishes will be respected.

So, this is before her crate was placed:

 This is the after with the crate moved under the table:

Only one problem. The afternoon sun hits that area and gets too hot. Though the table provides shade, it's not enough, so the crate got moved again to a more protected, shady place nearby. Naturally there will be monitoring of said crate to make sure Misty approves.

Now, someone might be thinking about our dogs and how they respond to Misty. Rascal is hardly aware of her presence. He's way too busy bossing long-suffering partner around to care about a cat. Nellie is more curious than anything and is a bit jealous that this creature is getting attention. For the most part, however, they both just steer clear of each other and go about their business. Whew!

RIP Mrs. Cowboy -- we will miss you

Mrs. Cowboy came into the neighborhood some 17 years ago and has quite the tale to tell. A small, beautiful white feral kitten with gray markings, she chose Anne's house to hang out. Anne was an older woman living alone who had a couple of dogs and cats already, so perhaps the kitten felt safe there. It was a good choice. Anne immediately named her Mrs. Cowboy, started feeding her, eventually had her spayed, and kept encouraging her to trust a human. As the years passed, Mrs. C grew more confident and warmed up to Anne -- not enough to go inside and become one of the gang, but enough to allow Anne to tend to her and even pet her once in a while.

Alas, Anne had a serious medical event which required a long hospitalization and later nursing home care. While she was away from her house, neighbors rallied to take care of her remaining dogs, and didn't forget Mrs. C. What's even more amazing is that they realized her house had fallen into such disrepair it would be almost impossible for her to return home. Two neighbors who had construction experience swung into action and started to upgrade the house. They did an amazing job that Anne never saw. She died while still in the nursing home.

Fortunately for the neighborhood (and Mrs. Cowboy), the new family (J and J) that bought Anne's house, had a cat and understood their needs. After neighbors pointed out Mrs. C and explained the situation, they jumped right in to the caregiving. Over time, as they made overtures and showed their love, Mrs. C grew to like them back. She even allowed them to pet her from time to time and took advantage of the snug space they made for her in the garage to keep her safe from roaming coyotes and other predators in the area. In other words, they gave her a loving home. 

The years went by and Mrs. Cowboy was one of my favorites. Nellie and I looked out for her on our walks and made sure to say hello at every opportunity. Over the last year, we noticed she was looking very thin and scraggly, her ear was torn and her nose wasn't right. J and J gave us the sad news that she had cancer and wasn't doing well. They had a mobile vet come out to take care of her but the prognosis wasn't good. Today, her suffering ended. 

The pictures below were taken two days before she passed away, helped by an amazing vet who does in-home euthanasia so animals are not unduly stressed. 

Mrs. Cowboy - it was truly wonderful to have you in our lives for so long and you will be sorely missed.

We are honored by a repeat visitor

She has graced our backyard before and made herself at home on a cozy chair. She does hang around from time to time, though in the past she's been far more elusive and shy. Of late, however, she's started snoozing on our patio. She does this in the face of me blundering about trying to get work done, and Nellie staring at her wondering why she's so bold. Fortunately Nellie is used to cats with our frequent visits to Fluffy, the Maine Coon who acts more like a dog, and leaves her alone. Though I have water out for critters in various places, I've added a bowl just for this beauty. Frankly though, she worries me a bit as she's very thin and her fur is a bit scruffy. It may be time to investigate setting out kitty food in a safe spot. My fervent wish is that she would trust us enough to allow us to make her part of the family, but I'm not a cat whisperer and we'll just have to play by her rules. I believe my neighbor has christened her Turtleduc, so we'll go with that. Her markings are very distinctive too, which makes her quite unique.

It's funny she chose to pose right by the cat planter. Go figure.

In Memoriam

Our street has seen the unfortunate passings of two wonderful dogs. Bruno was very old, had multiple issues and his family planned and helped him exit peacefully. Ellie, on the other hand, had an unexpected emergency. After many ups and downs, all hope was gone and she was euthanized being held by those who love her.  I say love, not loved, because I believe that no one ever stops loving a family member, even if that member wears fur. 

The real tragedy is when that family member is not allowed to age or be surrounded by the people who cared for them. I came across this a couple of days ago, posted on a tree facing the street, and it made me cry. It also made me angry. If you can't read it, click on the picture to make it bigger.

Two obsessions

It's okay. I don't mind the gossip. The truth is I DO have an obsession with tile and critters. As those who know I never shut up about tiling this or creating a mosaic on that, of course a house with steps that have beautiful patterned tiles will catch my eye. If said steps also have a cat sitting there who looks like we will be challenged to a duel at any moment, naturally it must be documented. 

As someone whose allergies preclude living with a cat (not to mention the two crazy dogs who would not approve), I appreciate meeting any cats in the neighborhood who do not shy away instantly when they see us coming. Soooo, a lucky sighting on dog walk this afternoon.

 

Spring has definitely sprung

Dogs force us to get out and about and that's a very good thing. Nellie and I do vary our path occasionally, but mostly we have a routine and it means passing by familiar houses regularly. Often it's very ho-hum. Same old, same old. But every so often we're startled, and mostly delighted, by something new.

We were hailed today by a very friendly frog, who boldly captured our attention with his wide smile and bon vivant manner. We introduced ourselves and asked to take his picture. He graciously agreed.

 

Further along on our stroll, we came upon a Wisteria in full bloom that was too magnificent to pass by unacknowledged.

But not to be outdone by neighborhood whimsy, there are two critters who reside in my front yard full time. While neither have the rakish air of the frog dandy, they make me smile.

The bunny is perfectly content to watch passersby in the front, secure in the knowledge she can't be easily seen.

The cat's expression is one of perpetual surprise. I expect it's because after all these years, she's STILL not invited into the house, though she keeps an eagle eye on the front door. We feel quite protected.

We appear to have added another furry friend

We have an operating Critter Café in our side yard where we cater to squirrels, banded pigeons, doves, scrub jays, crows, ravens, and other assorted tiny birds, and we have unfortunately attracted cats as well.  I've had conversations forbidding them to attack any of our café guests, and reminding them to mind their manners. For the most part they have been respectful, but we have had the odd incident or two. For the most part, they have a tendency to avoid our backyard because of the multiple dogs we have always had on the premises. Out of the twelve dogs that have graced our home over the years, only two were friendly to multiple species. The rest have made a point of terrorizing squirrels, skunks (to the dogs' dismay), possums, raccoons, and yes, cats. 

Rascal and Nellie are quite blasé about most critters. They don't bother to chase squirrels, Nellie has befriended cats around the neighborhood, and the skunk Rascal encountered taught him a very good lesson about avoiding them in the future. It should be no surprise then that a cat might venture into our backyard domain. What is a bit shocking is the absolute sense of entitlement this particular visitor has. Young people today....

Looking out the kitchen window, we spotted this sight. Gorgeous kitty. When she realized we were on to her, she did scamper off, but apparently decided, especially on this rainy day, to come back and snuggle on the chair under the table. She's hard to see, but here she is:

We hope as time goes by she will allow us to get to know her better. But truthfully, that probably won't happen.

A little art, a little cutie

It's been raining for two days which has been a blessing in our drought-stricken area. In between storms, however, Nellie and I still brave the deep puddles and go on our walks. Today was special. Being Christmas Day meant little to no traffic in the neighborhood and a quiet calm soothed the spirit as we ambled around streets we've not been on in a while. Though I'm a Bah Humbug! type, I do enjoy seeing the sparkling lights and interesting decorations people come up with for the season. But what catches my eye? Why a spectacular long-leaf pine tree and a Maine Coon cat.

The tree canopy is just a perfect shape and is so majestic, I couldn't resist a snap of it.

And now for the little, well actually quite large, cat named Fluffy. Fluffy is a neighbor and he's one of only two cats who have ever approached me, especially while walking a dog. Fluffy not only approaches, he will willingly come when called, and then he headbutts me for pets. Of course, I do have a reputation for awesome ear and butt rubs in our walking area (four-leggeds only), so I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. He is so cuddly he practically jumps in your arms to snuggle. Since having a cat companion at home is not possible, I confess I rather look forward to our meet and greet time. And of course, he is gorgeous.

 Hope everyone had a lovely and bright day. 🎄

Help feral cats in Los Angeles

Anyone who knows me is aware of my wish that all domestic creatures had good homes with people who love them and care for them. Well, feral cats may not have (or for that matter want) homes with people, but they are better off not breeding more feral kitties. Not only do they face predators and other hardships, but an overpopulation of cats is not good for the safety of birds and other small creatures. I know that first-hand from the feral cats that show up at my critter station and sometimes get lucky by killing a dove. Despite discussions with them outlining the rules: it's an all-you-can-watch area, NOT an all-you-can-eat-buffet, the cats don't seem to subscribe to the notion. So, there is a petition going around to encourage Los Angeles to be more proactive in supporting trap/neuter/return programs to curb the explosion of kitties. Please sign the petition and share, share, share with friends.

Their appeal is as follows:

Nearly 10 years after the L.A. City Council committed to making the city a no-kill community, the struggle continues. Although the 90% threshold was achieved for dogs four years ago, lifesaving efforts for cats have been much more challenging. However, a program currently under consideration would likely push L.A. over the top.

The greatest barrier to saving more cats has been a legal injunction preventing the City from any involvement with trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs. As a result, the number of young kittens entering L.A. shelters is on the rise in recent years, overwhelming available resources.

Last month, the City released the details of its long-awaited Citywide Cat Program, which allocates funding for the surgical sterilization of 20,000 free-roaming cats annually, over and above those funds already allocated for residents’ pets. The process is simple: cats are caught, evaluated by veterinarians, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their original location. This promises to be a game-changer without hampering any of the progress already made—overturning the injunction and paving the way for L.A. to become the largest no-kill community in the country.

You can read more and sign the petition here:

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faction.bestfriends.org%2Fpetitions%2Fthe-citizens-of-los-angeles-support-their-community-and-cats%3Fshare%3D39076eb0-1544-41fc-964b-ddb0b8fc1283%26source%3Demail-share-button%26utm_campaign%3Dadvocacy%26utm_medium%3Dctrlshft%26utm_source%3Dcs_email&data=04%7C01%7C%7C89fbb0f85d63490f9a9e08d893b156c1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637421737151364038%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=2MTJh8gV7l6Lig3no3rM1GRBAlctwLrCW66Ka3j33%2Fg%3D&reserved=0

Again, please sign the petition and share, share, share with friends. 

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!

 

Saddened and confused

This morning I made a sad discovery as I was doing some light chores outside. And the worst part is I have no idea how I didn't see it before. There was a beautiful pale Siamese looking cat wedged between a large flower pot and the back of an old iron chair it sits on. At first I thought she was sleeping, though that would be a very odd place. As I approached, not even an ear twitched, so I reached and touched her. Rigor had already set in -- clearly dead. Of course I immediately start hyperventilating with all the possibilities. After posting on Next Door, the guardian was discovered so at least she knows and doesn't have to wonder. This happening on top of all the angst Ninja is currently putting us through has been taxing.

Ah yes, Ninja. We know that she is broody and we can't find her current nest with what must be a sizeable clutch of eggs by now. So what's the harm? First and foremost, broody hens won't leave the nest for hours and hours a day. Normally they are busy scratching for food and taking their dust baths and generally being perky the majority of the day. When they are broody they don't eat enough. They can lose as much as 25% of their body weight. That is not good in a laying hen. She doesn't know that those are not babies in the making and will never hatch. Only by finding the nest  and clearing it of eggs does it trigger, at least for a bit, her normal routine.

Of course, this is our third go-round with her determination to be broody, and this time we are truly stumped where she has set up shop. She could even have taken up residence in someone else's yard for all we know. She has been coming to eat for about 10 minutes a day, but that's not enough to sustain her health. So naturally I have to keep a constant eye out for her, worry she's not getting enough to eat, wishing I could get her to trust us, and so on and so on and so on.

Lest you think I've just gone batty over the chicken, think again. I'm constantly fuming when my favorite little squirrel doesn't show up at the door to personally take her walnut from my hand; I fret when my favorite dove couple don't grace my backyard; I spend 10 minutes searching for the two blue jay couples who should be swooping down for peanuts; and I count the crows and big pigeons to make sure none are missing from the group. I know, I know. Get a life!

Ninja the chicken, continued

I found Ninja's people and they had only had her for two days before she made the great escape. They've had as little luck as I have in trying to entice her home. Today, she has been much bolder about hanging about in my yard and I was even able to capture a quick picture through the window. And yes, I have her people's blessing for her new moniker. I tried to think of something cute and all I could think of is how she eludes us so completely - hence - Ninja.

Perhaps it is wishful thinking, but as I puttered around the garden where she hung out, she was alert but seemed more comfortable. She even hopped into our gated, fenced back yard and made herself quite at home. My only fear with that maneuver is that my big bear might try to catch her and the results would not be peachy. Though he rarely goes out on his own anymore, we decided to close the back door. That's the phrase we hear so much these days: out of an abundance of caution. Our cat approves: