Cat vs. Bantam

The single kitten remaining from the first litter wanted some attention. I took a moment out from feeding to wait for her to come and play. A bantam rooster was scratching around nearby.

 

The rooster came strutting over, objecting to the cat's presence in his territory.

Kitty changed directions. Rooster followed.

Mayhem ensued.

Rooster leaves, victorious.

Kitty retreats to safety behind the fence.

The interesting pecking order of life on the farm.

Thieves

Charlie enthusiastically defends his food from sheep, alpaca, horses...everyone, it seems, except kittens.

These feral kittens just got a dish of their own food, but obviously Charlie's is far superior to theirs.

It took them some time to sneak up and around him to get to the food. He studiously looked away. Whatever made these little tykes decide it might be safe to steal food from a very large dog?

Food, Please

It seems that as soon as I discover the location of the cat family, Momma feels a need to relocate. After a few days without an appearance, I heard a distant meow as I fed Charlie. Following the sound I found Momma cat some distance and two fences away, staring at me, asking for food. A growing family needs more sustenance than one kitty can provide. The offering I set out between the fences disappeared quickly. 

Wild Kitty Update

Momma kitty moved her brood away from the hay shed, and I didn't see her for a couple weeks. Then I spotted her a couple times. I continued to put food in places I've seen her frequent in the past, and the food disappeared.

Today I was walking up the back porch of my second house, and heard a rustle. Momma cat was staring me down.

She followed me, hissing and growling, making sure I knew I wasn't to interfere with her family. She is definitely a brave little thing.

I managed to catch one of the kittens making a beeline to safety - off the deck to the depth of the den. I've seen two kittens here. I don't know how many she has, and probably won't get a chance to count.

The interesting thing about this location is it is guarded by Charlie, my Great Pyrenees Elder. He has retired to the yard surrounding this house, where he is first in line to scare away predators. This cat moved her kittens into a fenced area with a 120 lb dog in residence. How did she know he would protect and not attack? I was wondering why he had started eating so much.

MY House!

I was starting to use my last round bale when I heard a kitten squall. I looked all around, trying to find the cat nest. Then I thought to look up.

I actually had to back the quad up to the bale and stand on the rack to see this cozy nest right in the middle. This cat adopted the farm last fall, and has single-handedly kept it nearly mouse free. She is very wild, although we've had a couple of silent conversations, and she has been accepting the meat offerings I've made lately.

This picture should come with a soundtrack. Growls, rumbles and hisses warned me away.

Code Name: Intrepid

Groucho doesn't like water anymore than any other cat, but she's willing to brave the flooding to do her job. 

Said job seems to include secret inspections of the trunk as I unload frozen food into the freezer.

Cat For Hire

No job too small. Or large.

Territorial Dispute?

The rains have returned, reminding me it isn't really spring and Jesse's shelter still needed re-tarping. Groucho sauntered by to oversee my work, and checked out cushions as I put them in. By the time Jesse came to see how I was doing, Groucho owned the shelter. A working cat needs a base of operations, after all. She's not as concerned at the dozen bones I removed as Jesse is, but she may not be willing to share cushions.

Quad Kitty - Load Up!

Groucho has found her purpose in life. She's training to be a Border Collie.

She rides with me out to the horses, checks out the surroundings, then follows me into the hay shed.

Once the shed is thoroughly inspected, she moves out into the woods, or sometimes into the horse area.

When I'm ready to go, I pat the seat and tell her to load up. She doesn't actually care who's driving - it's the quad she's in love with.

Any load's OK by her. This area is muddy, so she's not getting down to explore. We'll start herding lessons in the spring.

A Cat And Her Quad

I was thinking it was unfortunate my Samoyed is too old to jump onto the quad; he would love to ride with me, to feel the wind, to go everywhere. It would be so much fun to have a dog go along. Then I turned the corner. Groucho isn't too old, and she loves her quad. She rides with me when I allow it, noisily making her way back if I load up the machine. So I have a quad cat. Next thing I know she'll be herding sheep.

The Crew

On a farm one takes any assistance offered.

Hay Unloading Supervisor

Sharing Warmth

Getting hay. There's always something interesting going on by the barn. Sources claim there are usually 5 or 6 kittens sleeping on the old dog - aptly named Buddy. Sharing warmth on a cold winter's day.

The Old Man

Wherever Charlie settles, he gets joined by others. This is the first time I've seen the Peacock choose to sun next to him, though.

The cats, on the other hand, are often found attached to the big white boy.

Cats

Photos by Pearl Dunn

Around The Farm

Growing Cats

I try to grow flowers in this pan, but they usually either dry out over the summer or someone eats them. Groucho seems to think I put it there for her. She's watching me dig in what passes as my garden.

Getting To Know You

Bear, my social butterfly, coming up to meet Ken.

Zander, learning that cats are for more than chasing.

Alpaca, coming to see if they can have some of the hay I'm tossing to the horses. This is the first time they've come this close to me (as opposed to me walking up to them).

The Cat In The Van

Can I drive?

Let Me Drive!

Hey You!

Puss, letting me know I'm late with breakfast.