So many mamas!

Some of them now seem to actually prefer eating kibble on the roof of the cats’ house rather than from the trays!

Rosencrantz is also in the picture, out of frame, at the food dish under the shrine. She and at least one other cat look pregnant, and I’m sure the rest of them are mamas.

Potato Beetle showed up this morning. He’s been away for a few weeks, but has been making appearances within the last few days – looking very skinny and hungry! This morning, as I went out of the sun room, he dashed through the door and went straight for the kibble bowl we still keep in there.

We’ve been seeing less of The Distinguished Guest lately, and more of Sad Face. They have been fighting, and Sad Face looks to be getting the upper hand. TDG has a big chunk of fur missing from one shoulder, but he won’t let us near him, even while in the kibble house, anymore. Otherwise, we’d be putting anti-biotic ointment on the wound. Sad Face, meanwhile, keeps his distance from us, even as he skulks around the outskirts.

Which means I’m quite happy to see Potato Beetle going into the sun room to eat. If he would just hang out there more often, that would mean Sad Face can’t go after him, too! Alas, he did no such thing today. He ate like he was starving, but then contentedly let the sun room and soon disappeared.

Later on, as I was about to go out the sun room, I saw a strange cat in the kibble house.

No. Not a strange cat.

A much larger black and white kitten! This would be the black and white from the first litter we found in the cats’ house.

The kitten was in alarm mode, though, it’s back arched and leaning against the middle board framing the kibble house, looking off into the corner. That corner is hidden from view by the cats’ house, but it was no surprise when I came out and saw a skunk in there. I chased off the skunk which, unfortunately, chased off the kitten, too.

Later on, I saw mamas and kittens going in and out of the hole at the bottom of the pump shack door. I know the oldest kittens were moved somewhere beyond the pump shack, but as they are getting bigger, the mamas may have moved them closer again. For sure, the kittens that have been under the cats’ house and the laundry platform are in there now, and seeing the growling mama, I’m sure the newest litter is in there, too.

Hmm… With the kittens gone from the cats’ house, this would be a good time to finally open it up and clean it out!

But not today. 🙂

The Re-Farmer