By leaps & boundaries

It seems like I've been waiting forever, like back when I was a kid and Christmas was "coming soon". Every day ... is it Christmas yet?? "No, it's coming soon".  At least we always KNEW when Christmas would actually be here ~ Dec, 25th. The arrival of the bears is always an unknown. Until 
yesterday♥  I can't yet determine just who Mama is, but if you recall, a pair mated in the yard last fall.  I wouldn't be surprised to learn this is the same female, with two (or three) cubs in tow.  They skirted the edges of the woods near the HRD, and I know at least one took refuge in the maple to the right rear of the trail cam range. Was the second pair of eyes Mama, or another cub? Time will tell!!
Meanwhile, as the local bears return where they are welcome, in Northern Minnesota someone shot one of the WRI collared research bears because it meandered into 'their' yard, presumably foraging on grass, and thistle seed from a bird feeder.  I don't understand, if one doesn't want wildlife in the yard, why would they attract it by placing feeders out, in one of the worst springs ever for supply of natural foods?  Jo the Bear has passed on, but her Spirit remains making ours all the more strong.  Until bears learn to read, it is the people who need to be aware of the signs Mother Earth provides and modify THEIR behavior accordingly.  Bears know no boundaries ~ they are driven by fear and food.  Food, in short supply,is the overwhelming urge in Minnesota, I don't know if that's the case in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Here, I am finding wild strawberries much earlier than usual, and much larger than usual.  I picked and ate a few as I strolled around the pond, tossing stale bread to the fish.  Smokey and Bear The Kitty accompanied me ... well, they languished on the picnic table as I walked, barefoot, on the berm. I became engrossed in the berries, paying no attention to the kitties back behind. I chose my steps carefully so as not to disturb the delicate morsels; the wildlife will be enjoying them tonight.  As I slowly walked back towards the table, I was surprised to see 

Smokey... but wait, that's not Smokey, that's one of the raccoon family!!! We shocked one another, being about 10' away when we saw each other.  I said hello, he ran off into the woods... keeping the burn barrel between us. By the way, we have the most amazing group of co*existing critters I've ever seen, or maybe not all animals are the sworn enemies we've been led to believe. Now, Bear The Kitty, in particular, does NOT like the fox, but he has no problems hanging out with a raccoon, turkey, or deer.  However, 
hanging out with Smokey ... well, that's a horse ...errrr... cat of a different color.  They do get along much, much better, but Bear never passes up an opportunity to stalk his only-slightly-larger roommate ~ leading to some spectacular aerial feats and amazingly blood-curdling screams of surprise. And a really cool photograph once in a while... :-)
Well, it's about time to bring in the bird feeders and the suet for the night.  It would be irresponsible of me to leave them outdoors, possibly attracting the bears and raccoon up here nearer the house where they could get into trouble. But, there's an extra ration of corn out for the deer and other takers at the hard Rock Diner tonight. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Is it Christmas yet?♥

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"No human older than an adolescent would wantonly murder any creature which reveres its own life as much as the killer."  

Henry David Thoreau

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The squirt bottle

I laid awake in bed for a while this morning, reflecting on the past couple of months. It's amazing what one might learn from a 'quadre' of cats, if you allow yourself to see, and comprehend.....
Smokey had been the undisputed King of the feline family, Shadow is his underling.  But with Shadow, Smokey is a compassionate and sharing boy. More often than not, he will 'allow' Shadow to eat his portion of canned food.  I suspect, in all honesty, Smokey doesn't really care so much about the canned food as he prefers dry kibble (and won't go near the canned food anyway unless it's accompanied by a few catnip treats, which he devours while Shadow eats from his own bowl!).  But Smokey is large; quiet and regal, and his stature seems to designate his place in the hierarchy.

Enter Bear and Tiki.

Bear is nearly as large as Smokey, and even more quiet. Well, he doesn't make his intentions public, let's say. With me, he's a 'talker' ~ someday I'll capture a little of the adorable sounds he makes when he's communicating with me. As to the other boys, though, he doesn't growl or grumble; he doesn't initiate any pushing or shoving, no confrontations to claim the King's spot, or Shadow's favorite place on the afghan.  But if the King isn't on the thrown, it's just another perch, right??  

If Shadow isn't sleeping on the afghan on the couch, it's open space. Free for the taking... and once there, Bear will not relinquish his position.  No fighting, no nastiness. Just a calm stare that says "hey, I'm here now... wait your turn".  Three boys, all asserting themselves in their own ways.  As they relate to me, if they do something they really shouldn't, all I have to do is pick up the green squirt bottle, and they cease the unwelcome behavior often without so much as a mini-misting.  The King and his Princes, in control. Until the Queen says otherwise.

Tiki has hardly ever endured the wrath of the squirt bottle. I think I allow her to get away with a bit more because, up until she arrived, I was the only female in this family.  She doesn't jump on the counter and head butt her way into the can of food I'm trying to serve up like Shadow does; she calmly watches me from a few feet away purring so loudly that I can hardly take offensive action.  More and more, lately, she is playing with the squeeky and catnip toys; she also loves the fresh growing catnip in the garden window but will patiently wait her turn if someone else is nibbling there.  Just don't enter 'her' realm, or try to move in on her position... that girl is so quick and nimble, she has the boys on their heels running for dear life in an instant, far too quickly for me to invoke the squirter to dissuade her.  In the middle of the day, she has no issues with sharing my bed with Bear, but if I'm in the bed, beware!  I'm hers and hers alone, and any cat who tries to enter our domain is quickly chased ...down the stairs, under the table, out the door ~ wherever they 'chose' to go, as long as it is NOT in "our" room.  Funny thing is, on those few occasions that I have chastised her, all I have to say is "go to your room", and she heads down the hallway into the bedroom. For a few minutes anyway.  In short order, she is at my heels, looking up at me with those adoring eyes and I melt.  We girls have to stick together. :-)  And though the the males with whom we co-exist may think THEY are the alphas, we know better . Our strength and leadership positions are not necessarily boisterous, but we set the tone and cadence for this pack.


So, what's the lesson I've realized today?  When hubby starts barking, whining, growling or behaving badly, I think I'll keep my mouth shut from now on. 


And pick up the squirt bottle.....

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Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them. - Jim Davis

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Weighed, Spayed, and Playing♥

Shadow in the Tupperware

All four cats are doing okay; getting along a bit better (at least, there is no fur flying of late). Last night, they teamed up to open the have-a-heart trap that apparently had captured a mouse we knew was in the house, although we still haven't found any signs of it!! The trap was sprung, but turned on its side and empty by the time we realized what all the commotion was about!! Springtime is gonna be fun around here, when all of them are on the prowl outside as well as inside!  

Smokey and Tiki sharing the tower

Tiki was inside the house for almost three weeks before we finally got her to the vet.  This past Tuesday night, she went for her first vehicle ride (with us, anyway), and whined most of the 35 mile trip.  Bear accompanied her (in his own crate) for his second round of shots ... he was very quiet, and was 'kind' enough to provide a stool sample on the way!! Weighing in at 14 1/2 pounds, Bear is healthy and doing quite well. Even the vet likes him, telling us what a nice, handsome cat he is!! And that is saying something; our vet specialized in farm animals so domesticated pets are not his thing.....

Bear likes the top platform, if Smokey isn't there!!

Tiki weighs 7 1/2 pounds, all spunk.  Dr. Joe figures her to be about 3 years old, and she has already been spayed.  Her feline leukemia and aids tests were negative, thankfully; so she got 2 vaccinations and a rabies shot. She did have roundworms - typical with cats who have been living in the wild feeding on mice, etc., so she also got a topical worm medication. Wednesday, the effects of all that stuff caught up with her, and she spent the day under the bed, uninterested in food or me! By Thursday, however, a 'new' Tiki was emerging♥  

I've said it in relation to Bear, but now it was Tiki's turn to relax.  It's been over a week since she went outside, and she shows no inclination to go now either. The pet door is there and she has used it before, but I think, after spending 8 months or more living outside, she is happy to be indoors for the time being. And she has begun to play in earnest.  She sat at the window sill swatting at the birds outside on the feeder as I watched, camera in hand.  A short time later as I was doing some housework, I heard the chirping of a bird in the hallway. Oh no.... had someone brought one inside??? Dropping the mop, I ran to the sound of the chirps hoping to save the bird from my pack of kitties (although Tiki was the only one inside as far as I knew).  Imagine my surprise, when I saw Tiki had found the chirping toy, and was happily batting it all around the living room. Naturally, by the time I got the camera ready, she had had nearly enough of that 'fun', but I did manage to grab a bit of video.  This was the most play I've seen from her; apparently she, too, is now out of 'survival' mode and understands that she has a forever home here, with lots of toys and new places to explore.....

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"You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats." - Colonial proverb

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My kitties favorite water bowl♥ 

Free MP3 download from Amazon.com

Cuatro Gatos

How many cats do I need to be, officially, a crazy cat lady? My granddaughter suggested I was turning into one; I think the cats are finding me so the word must have been out already!  I had 5 full grown dogs at one time, so four cats is not as bad, right?? RIGHT??? They are certainly far less work, or at least, will be once the integration process finds its balance.

Cat #1 ~ Smokey: the King of the House.  He is giving me the most trouble of the four because he is the largest and up until now, the undisputed King.  The top perch on the Kitty Tower belongs to him, and he will share with Shadow for a little ... then pushes him off.  He and Shadow have been here together for 4 1/2 years now, so they are best buddies notwithstanding the 'pecking order'.  Smokey is also the most finicky of eaters, preferring Goodlife catnip treats to anything else, except maybe filet mignon. But dry kibble is the mainstay of his diet, and at 18+ pounds, he has a hearty appetite.

Cat #2 - Shadow:  When I first saw him as a kitten in the Shelter, he was already adopted and waiting to be picked up by his new owners. Two weeks later when I went back to the shelter, he was in the same crate, still waiting.  That was totally unacceptable to me, and he came home with me that day.   He is long and lean; at nearly 5 years of age, he has now matured to about 13 pounds of hunting stealth.  Shadow can jump 5' into the air and snag a hummingbird in flight. Not that it's encouraged, but he is, after all, the mighty hunter.  He does NOT like beef,  and since the arrival of the two newcomers, he has been eating some of the canned foods that previously he'd snubbed his nose at.  It seems, he wants whatever someone else is having, especially if that someone is me...

Cat # 3 - BK, "Bear Kitty":  On December 27, 2011, a lone panther-like cat was caught on trail cam, eating corn that had been put out for the deer and birds. Every night thereafter, we saw him via camera so of course, I put a bit of kibble out with the corn. Within a week or so, the location of the kibble became the front porch where he began to feel more comfortable, allowing me to sit with him as he ate and shortly thereafter, pet and hold him.  He stole my heart in no time flat and came inside after about 2 weeks.  A full tomcat, his trip to the vet for neutering revealed his age to be about 2, his weight almost 14 pounds.  He seems to be warming up to Shadow, or should I say, Shadow is warming up to him although neither particularly likes to be surprised by the other ~ some hissing and swatting results.  He's been inside for about a month now, and is just a sweetheart of a cat. His demeanor is calm and laid back, although when Smokey hisses, growls and swats at him, Bear not only faces off with him but has been observed chasing Smokey down the stairs once or twice.  When he arrived, he was bitten, bruised and hungry.  Now, he is healthy, happy, loving and loved.  Oh, and he's my protector and the warmer of my covers every night (and most of the day). He has a preference for down comforters and anything with gravy.

Cat #4 - Tiki:  Back when Bear was being fed on the front porch, another cat appeared almost nightly. Were they friends? Lovers?? All I could tell at first, was that this cat was smaller, wore a flea collar, and was multi-colored, at first I thought Tortoise but it turns out, Tabby... To differentiate between the two strays, we called the black one BK (Black kitty), and the other TK (Tabby Kitty).  Those initials have morphed into Bear and Tiki.  Tiki had been coming to the Hard Rock Diner for months. 

The fact that she had a flea collar made me presume she was a neighborhood cat coming to visit Smokey & Shadow.  She ALWAYS ran from me, so I never got a close look... not until Bear came inside, did she warm up to me at all.  As she kept coming around, I still put food out for her and began the neighborhood search for her owner, to no avail. One night as I opened the window for Bear to go out, she stretched up and allowed me to pet her head. I was hooked...again.  But did I want 4 cats?? Did I even want 3?? I resisted the temptation to invite her in, but her purrs and sweet face (and forecast for nasty weather), made me bring her in one night.  She's ours, without question.  The night I removed that old flea collar and realized her fur was far shorter there than the rest of her neck, I could have cried. But her purrs were so loud and her head-bumps so gentle, I laughed instead,and buried my face into her neck. I got a love-bite in return. She's a feisty feline!   At less than 8 pounds, she's demure but her size belies her personality. She will not back down from any of the other three

Tiki & Shadow

 and as a matter of fact, they all back away from her when she arches her back and hisses at them. She and Bear have been rather quarantined together and have been observed sniffing one another from time to time. She has also touched noses with Shadow and stared Smokey down a time or two. Her favorite canned foods are of the fish variety ~ I think 9 lives tuna & egg is the favorite thus far. Not having had her to the vet yet, I don't know her age or if she's spayed, but I suspect she's at least a year old. We'll find out more in the next couple weeks.

Tiki backs Smokey down... 8 pounds vs. 18; she IS feisty!!

Today, for the very first time, all four cats are roaming the entire house.  Nothing if off-limits; the next phase of their assimilation has begun. There have been no angry exchanges and at the moment, each is sleeping in different areas of the house. Tiki seems incredulous... is she really allowed to come and go as she pleases? Is that never-ending bowl of kibble for her? And the water bowls...several; different styles and sizes, she can access any one she wants? At first, she didn't seem like she wanted to 'jump'; the first night it seemed difficult for her to jump 2 feet up onto the window sill. Now, she leaps four feet onto the dresser like it was a foot stool.  I turned around, and she was at eye level on the stove!! I guess she'll have to learn what NOT to do, but not today. Today, all four cats can be themselves: free to explore, eat, drink, sleep, snuggle, come and go at will.  

Today is Sunday, a laid-back day of rest for us all.  We wish the same for you♥

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Nature teaches beasts to know their friends.

William Shakespeare

Photos from the Cat House♥

Bear's favorite means of egress♥

I would NOT say he was happy, but.....

He did allow me to put the little hat on him!

No cat I've ever had, has allowed this kind of Tom-Foolery!

This is how we got started, I was shocked he let me put the mini-medicine bag on him!

3 boys, getting to tolerate one another???? Well, not quite♥

And Queen Tiki, lounging on the down comforter

Shadow and Bear ... well at least they weren't hissing at each other

She's only 7 pounds; a little lover but spunky too!

I wonder how Smokey will react when he smells that Bear has been on HIS perch? This was the first time Bear went up there...

Watching over the Waif

I relented. I know it's going to cause complications, maybe more than I really need.  But when TK literally begged to come inside last night, I couldn't refuse. While I wouldn't say Michael gave his "blessing", he did say he couldn't stand to see her outside and alone, so through the bedroom window she came. At first, she didn't seem able to jump up 2 feet to make it through the window but the second time I opened it and called her, she figured it out. Once inside, she showed she certainly did know how to jump ... right

up onto my down comforter-covered bed. And there she slept most of the night, purring away. I was going to crop this picture, but when I looked at it and the others (total of 8) I took last night and early this morning, I noticed the orbs visible against the purple shirt hanging on the top right. Is it just dust on the camera lens? I don't know... but I prefer to think of it as Spirits watching over us all!

After breakfast (before 5AM, PULEESEEEEE, I need my beauty sleep, hahahahaaa), she and BK went out the window and I've not seen her since. Michael says she went 'home'. I still don't know if she's someone's kitty who is visiting us, or one that has been abandoned here.  Whatever, I have to believe this will work out as it should and I'm going to do what my heart says is right. But I can tell you this, if any more kitties show up outside my home, I am not going to feed them....

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"We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals... In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."      Henry Beston

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The Protector

Hmmm, where to start this post??? As I type, Shadow is sitting on my desk looking out the window on a bright and sunny morning. Smokey is sleeping in on the bed in the Master bedroom, and Bear is ... well... just where is Bear??  I'm not sure, since he has the complete run of the house now and is making himself right at home. Usually, he is wherever I am, so he must be outside :-).  I named Shadow because he was always underfoot as a kitten, thus, my Shadow.  Maybe BK should have been named, "Protector".  Anyway.....  Shadow and Bear continue to touch noses in greeting from time to time, and Shadow is experiencing new and different foods thanks to Bear.  If there is an open can of cat food, Shadow wants to know what it is!  I've only bought the Fancy Feast for the past several years, because that is all Smokey and Shadow would eat in terms of canned food. I had tried others in the early years (they've been here over 4 1/2 years now, how time flies...) but threw it out so often that I gave up. BK's appetite is HUGE; thankfully, he likes Friskies and 9 Lives canned food. So, to facilitate "brotherhood", I feed all of the cats at the same time and Shadow gets a bit of whatever Bear is having!  Bear has sampled the Fancy Feast, but 

thankfully, he prefers the less expensive stuff, because he eats way more of it.  Smokey remains aloof, eating every morsel of HIS Fancy Feast so no one else has any leftovers to clean up! Smokey and Bear continue their tap-dance and have provided some real entertaining moments. Last night, Bear was on one side of the large ottoman, Smokey on the other and each was looking around the corners to see where the other one was when suddenly, Bear jumped up ONTO the ottoman and scared the dickens out of Smokey, then jumped off, right over him!!  Later, well actually about 3AM, I think Smokey decided to come jump up on MY bed. Well, Bear was at his post on the tartan at the foot of the bed, and although I can't attest to exactly what happened, the howls had me bolt upright, and the aftermath was a bit hairy... literally. Smokey has a dense, 

longish fur that certainly served him well in this fray. No blood was drawn, and I think I see a small patch of missing fur on his left rear flank but he's none the worse for wear.  I wonder if those two will always have this love/hate relationship?? Well, only time will tell ... Bear has only been a member of the inside family with full run for less than a week.  I buried my face in Smokey's fur this morning and he purred so he and I are okay... but it appears that Bear has elected himself my security guard in the overnight hours (which is totally awesome, BTW!!). He is either on the bed, staked out at the window,or lying in the doorway ~ he has all access points covered and does NOT seem willing to let another critter into 'our' space.  Shadow and Smokey rarely used to visit my room overnight anyway; I wonder if they ever will again??? 

During the day however, they get a lot of my attention so I don't feel I'm slighting them in favor of the new addition.  And I think, in time, they will all learn to peacefully co-exist, just maybe not in the same room, while I'm sleeping♥

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"Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." ~ Franklin P James

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Catnip for Us All

The three boys continue their journey ~ This morning, BearKat and Shadow touched noses in greeting as we walked out of the bedroom.  I have pretty much given up keeping Bear confined to the bedroom, although he IS territorial about that room and backed Smokey off when he began walking in this afternoon!  At the moment, I'm still feeding him in there, so I think it was more the food, than any other reason.  He is un-phased by Smokey's howls and growls and today, when Smoke was up in the garden window, Bear just walked right over and jumped up too!! That did not go over very well with Smokey, but no swats landed and no blood was drawn!  

Bear "found" the window earlier today, complete with it's pot of catnip, which is like a salad bar for all three of them!! I can see, I'm going to have to grow more inside in winter!  
I've all but given up trying to keep Bear from going into the basement. He had been looking in that window for two weeks prior to coming into the house, so I think he 'knows' it fairly well. It's where the litter boxes are kept (other than his, at the moment), and I've watched him sniff around them a bit, but not try to use them. Heck, he doesn't want to use his own if he can help it!  Twice, when I didn't know where he was,he was downstairs; tonight I found his own little hiding spot under my craft table on a storage bench.  

Earlier, I told him not to go down, so he laid on one of the uppermost steps.... until I turned my back anyhow!  As I type this, he is lying outside the office door, Shadow is on the bed in the office 
("I'm soooooo happy you cleaned this off for me Mommy"), and Smokey is on his perch in the living room.  Each day is a new adventure; catnip for us all :-)

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"When a man does a piece of work which is admired by all we say that it is wonderful; but when we see the changes of day and night, the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky, and the changing seasons upon the earth, with their ripening fruits, anyone must realize that it is the work of someone more powerful than man.” - 

                    Chased-by-Bears, Santee-Yanktonai Sioux

Dee Bear Sunday

Smokey & Bear 

Well, it seems that BearKat is rapidly becoming a "resident cat" with near-full run of the house.  Last night, he came out into the living room and, seeing an empty perch on the tower, decided to test it out. Smokey was right above him and leaned down once to swipe a paw in Bear's general direction, and BK didn't STAY on that perch all to long; I think he just wanted to show Smokey he wasn't afraid to be in close proximity. Bear and Shadow spent quite a bit of time outside together and I think they're becoming buddies already.  It was hysterical last night after Bear went into his room and I

Shadow outside, Bear inside; door securely shut!!

Shadow and Bear

bungee'd the door shut, Shadow was trying to push it open from the outside!  (Please disregard stack of stuff that is waiting removal to the attic, LOL!!)






After he & I got up this 
morning, I didn't even bother closing his door tightly let alone using the bungee cord!  Hubby & I were both home and inside all day, so we just kept an eye and ear out and the basement door closed.  Well, that's what we were supposed to do anyway.... At one point, Bear came into the living room, and just plopped himself down within 2 feet of Smokey.  Those two are just too funny... Smokey hisses and growls ~ Bear pushes his buttons.  I think they'll end up grudging friends too. Shortly afterwards, Bear went outside and was basking in the sunshine on the porch, as reported by hubby. An hour later, I went looking for him and of course, he wasn't there, or anywhere else I could find! I went outside each door and called for him, to no avail.  Trying not to cluck too much, I went back inside, in time to watch him push the basement door open and walk into the kitchen. Somehow, he had sneaked past the cats-and-hubby-sentinel-team, and made his way to the (off-limits) basement.  

Thankfully, it does not seem like he scent-marked anything down there, or anywhere else in the house for that matter! We're still being watchful but it seems to me, he feels no need to mark any territory. He's a part of the family now, we all know it. So does he.

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"Being Indian is an attitude, a state of mind, a way of being in harmony with all things and all beings. It is allowing the heart to be the distributor of energy on this planet; to allow feelings and sensitivities to determine where energy goes; bringing aliveness up from the Earth and from the Sky, putting it in and giving it out from the heart."  - Brooke Medicine Eagle

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