As the weather has gotten colder, seasonal changes are happening to our morning routine. With the outside taps now closed for the winter, and water starting to freeze, we are back to bringing out a pitcher of warm water to refill the cat bowls outside.

With the bird bath now moved next to the bird feeder (which I was able to give a good scrub down before winter – after knocking the ice out!), adding warm water to there is now part of the routine. Who knows. Even the deer might be able to use it over the winter. It doesn’t hold a lot of water, but we can refill it as needed.

This morning, the cats were wildly curious about what I was doing at the feeding station, and I had cats jumping up into the bird bath before I could finish emptying the pitcher!

They started drinking it so enthusiastically, you’d never know I’d just topped up three water bowls for them, already!

I put the pitcher down to take pictures, and even that got instant attention!

I also rediscovered that little Keith has sharp claws.

One of the other things that has changed as the weather has gotten colder overnight is, we no longer close the kittens up in the sun room. We leave the doors into it fastened a few inches, so that any smaller critter that needs relative warmth and shelter can go it.

Which has meant visit by the skunk again. Which isn’t too bad, except it leaves messed behind all over the place.

This means that when I got out the main door in the mornings, the cats are already out and about, and I’m greeted by an explosion of critters, determined to trip me! This morning, that explosion included Guildenstern, whom I haven’t seen in quite a long time.

She let me pet her!

Okay, so what she really wanted was food, but she was willing to put up with pets to get it.

Which is a big improvement on the socialization front.

I’m thinking we might be able to touch Junk Pile cat soon, too. She let me scritch the head of her cousins eating next to her, before she moved away. Pump Shack kitten will take more effort, as she runs off well before we come close.

The lure of food and warm water on a cold day might just be the thing that does it, though!

The Re-Farmer