May is unfolding as a cool month after some wonderful warm weather that saw everything budding and then stalling as the temperature dropped. There was blossom on the fruit trees two weeks ago I swear, but it was quickly replaced by lots of greenery and I feel cheated by not having fully appreciated it this year.
When the weather is warmer there are more feral cats around but I think the low numbers we’re seeing at Fort Feral is due to there being plenty of food being provided by others in the village, so for example, we don’t see Chubby Chops at all these days as he is hanging about elsewhere - probably discouraged by the hulking shape of Scruffy patrolling his domain.
The two ferals who are permanent fixtures are Husky and Clem Fandango, both neutered males. These two are always together, and I mean always. And when they’re not lying about under a tree together, they are quarreling, usually with Husky (the black and white one), whose leg is fully healed, dishing out the blows. He appears to want to keep all the food in the three comederos to himself, which is difficult as he cannot be in three places at once! This stresses him out, and he lashes out at everyone. Here’s Clemmy having a rare go at righting the scorecard on the journey to breakfast. Check out the tails.
When the weather is warmer there are more feral cats around but I think the low numbers we’re seeing at Fort Feral is due to there being plenty of food being provided by others in the village, so for example, we don’t see Chubby Chops at all these days as he is hanging about elsewhere - probably discouraged by the hulking shape of Scruffy patrolling his domain.
The two ferals who are permanent fixtures are Husky and Clem Fandango, both neutered males. These two are always together, and I mean always. And when they’re not lying about under a tree together, they are quarreling, usually with Husky (the black and white one), whose leg is fully healed, dishing out the blows. He appears to want to keep all the food in the three comederos to himself, which is difficult as he cannot be in three places at once! This stresses him out, and he lashes out at everyone. Here’s Clemmy having a rare go at righting the scorecard on the journey to breakfast. Check out the tails.
The funny thing is, there is another neutered-boy-couple, who eat at Josefa’s house and similarly are each other’s shadows. They are Nigel and Frank Sinatra (or Nigel, comma, and Frank Sinatra as they are not quite singing siblings), so what is going on?
Have we discovered a biological adaptation to being neutered? I wonder if once they lose some of their hormone-derived aggression after the snip, they opt for safety in numbers. The two couples seem not to wander from the village and are always together, even if squabbling. Clemmy and Husky sleep in our outside boiler room in a large plastic chest with cushions. Not bad going in the scheme of things!
Husky and Clem wait outside the kitchen door every morning, and this is my view every day as they lead the way to the comederos at Fort Feral.
Have we discovered a biological adaptation to being neutered? I wonder if once they lose some of their hormone-derived aggression after the snip, they opt for safety in numbers. The two couples seem not to wander from the village and are always together, even if squabbling. Clemmy and Husky sleep in our outside boiler room in a large plastic chest with cushions. Not bad going in the scheme of things!
Husky and Clem wait outside the kitchen door every morning, and this is my view every day as they lead the way to the comederos at Fort Feral.
This morning we were joined by Jessie whose good morning miaows were emanating from the long grass as we arrived.
Others who have been around lately are Zorro, Bette Davis, Bandido and Calypso (the latter very pregnant! I will try to trap her and have her neutered when the time is right).
Others who have been around lately are Zorro, Bette Davis, Bandido and Calypso (the latter very pregnant! I will try to trap her and have her neutered when the time is right).
Now to those who are also neutered, and ageing, but do wander, I told you last time that Mizuki (one of our pet cats, recently emigrated from London, and 11 years old) had disappeared. Well, I found her in the local town of Sober 8 weeks (no exaggeration) after she’d buggered off during the worst winter in Spain for 20 years!
I was driving along and saw a tabby tail disappearing through an iron gate, and hey presto it was her. I bundled her into the car and brought her home. Anyway, she was domestic and delightful for over two weeks and then took off again in early May. Our neighbour, Josefa, called her various things, not all politically correct, but one was una bruja (a witch)! She may have a point.
Good news, as this morning she wandered in, hungry and talkative but fine, the other pet cats looking on in disbelief as the Legend returned after a mere 10 days' trip. We now know she knows where she lives at least, but have no idea where she's been!
I was driving along and saw a tabby tail disappearing through an iron gate, and hey presto it was her. I bundled her into the car and brought her home. Anyway, she was domestic and delightful for over two weeks and then took off again in early May. Our neighbour, Josefa, called her various things, not all politically correct, but one was una bruja (a witch)! She may have a point.
Good news, as this morning she wandered in, hungry and talkative but fine, the other pet cats looking on in disbelief as the Legend returned after a mere 10 days' trip. We now know she knows where she lives at least, but have no idea where she's been!
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