Well, the city cats and I have been here for a week, after our three day odyssey from London with the pet chauffeur. That was quite an experience and a very good one. It was great to actually cover the distance on the ground (1800 kms or thereabouts) and I think better for our cats to be in one comfortable place for the duration.
They are with me in the barn or ‘pajar’ side of our house, and they have been exploring the other larger side as well, in that low-to-the-ground, silent way cats have in the face of something new that is scary but simply must be investigated. One week in, and at least one more to go until we can let them explore the outside, under supervision.
Their luxury confinement includes a very handy mezzanine from which they can view the large grassy courtyard, and they have been watching the comings and goings of the feral cats, who do come and go regardless of the change in feeding location! Some persist in sitting on the small patio outside the kitchen door as they have for years.
If the four city cats could talk they may well be saying ‘WTF! They’ve had a whole other family hidden away here the whole time!’.
Here’s Scruffy, chest puffed out and ears forward, perhaps having that exact thought as Chubby Chops sits outside unaware ... poor CC has a large tick on his neck, by the way, and I have given him some brewer’s yeast today to see if that will make the tick flee in disgust (get it?).
They are with me in the barn or ‘pajar’ side of our house, and they have been exploring the other larger side as well, in that low-to-the-ground, silent way cats have in the face of something new that is scary but simply must be investigated. One week in, and at least one more to go until we can let them explore the outside, under supervision.
Their luxury confinement includes a very handy mezzanine from which they can view the large grassy courtyard, and they have been watching the comings and goings of the feral cats, who do come and go regardless of the change in feeding location! Some persist in sitting on the small patio outside the kitchen door as they have for years.
If the four city cats could talk they may well be saying ‘WTF! They’ve had a whole other family hidden away here the whole time!’.
Here’s Scruffy, chest puffed out and ears forward, perhaps having that exact thought as Chubby Chops sits outside unaware ... poor CC has a large tick on his neck, by the way, and I have given him some brewer’s yeast today to see if that will make the tick flee in disgust (get it?).
Anyway, I think it’s good they get to look at each other through the windows for a while. There’ll be fewer surprises in the end that way.
Oh the irony of feeding time though. Yesterday I microwaved some monkfish for the City 4 and they were all very happy with the smells emanating from the kitchen in the barn. When it came to eating it they were not as resoundingly delighted as I had thought they might be, given that cooked white fish was always a rare treat in London. Okay, it wasn’t the coley they are used to but seriously!!! Mizuki was not at all interested and she is usually the least fussy.
Anyway, in the other kitchen I had macaroni cooking for the ferals, to which I was planning to add a couple of small tins of cheap catfood. I started to do this and had to virtually fight Mizuki off who seemed to be about to launch herself at the macaroni concoction, from the kitchen table. She was desperate for what the ferals were about to have. I had thought by giving the City 4 the posher food, they would not be interested in competing with the ferals on the food front. I think I’ll have to rethink this!!
The whole situation does highlight the inherent inequalities in these two groups of cats, and of course the nature of the world. These four are warm, dry, well-fed (and free of ticks), while those out there are none of these things - all due to chance in terms of where they were born.
It is a tale of two cities (or two pueblos) and I guess all we can do is even it up a bit by looking after the ferals to the degree we can
Oh the irony of feeding time though. Yesterday I microwaved some monkfish for the City 4 and they were all very happy with the smells emanating from the kitchen in the barn. When it came to eating it they were not as resoundingly delighted as I had thought they might be, given that cooked white fish was always a rare treat in London. Okay, it wasn’t the coley they are used to but seriously!!! Mizuki was not at all interested and she is usually the least fussy.
Anyway, in the other kitchen I had macaroni cooking for the ferals, to which I was planning to add a couple of small tins of cheap catfood. I started to do this and had to virtually fight Mizuki off who seemed to be about to launch herself at the macaroni concoction, from the kitchen table. She was desperate for what the ferals were about to have. I had thought by giving the City 4 the posher food, they would not be interested in competing with the ferals on the food front. I think I’ll have to rethink this!!
The whole situation does highlight the inherent inequalities in these two groups of cats, and of course the nature of the world. These four are warm, dry, well-fed (and free of ticks), while those out there are none of these things - all due to chance in terms of where they were born.
It is a tale of two cities (or two pueblos) and I guess all we can do is even it up a bit by looking after the ferals to the degree we can
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