outside cats

The things we find, and arborist update

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The arborist called about coming over today to look around at the work that needs to be done.  Since we rather suddenly have to buy a new CPAP, budget demands we have to split the work.

As I went to unlock and open the gate for him, I paused to check out the fence line from the garage to the gate.  It is along this fence that there is a power line to the gate that I was able to use to plug in the weed trimmer, not long ago.  Some of the fence posts are tipping, and the line itself is sagging, so I wanted to take a closer look.

While I was finding a top wire that was no longer attached to its post and following it along to see what was going on with that, I found something I hadn’t noticed before.  Another thing to add to the “why is this here?” list!

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Another toilet?  Really?

And this time, the tank, too.

This is next to the garage.  Where did it get hauled from?  Why did it get left in the bush?  Why is it there?

The post it’s leaning against is also part of the problem with the fence line.  It’s also tipping, and that’s why the wire I had been looking at was no longer attached to its post.

I am really looking forward to when I can move on to this section for clean up.

As for the arborist, after looking around, we worked out the essentials.  So for an estimate of $750 (half of the $1500 estimate he gave me for the whole job), this is what we will get done.

At the south end of the yard, clear some of the willow branches away from the power lines.

Just north of the house, clear some of the maple branches in one tree from the power line.

Top off the dead spruce tree so that, if it does fall, it will not hit the power line.

Top off the two maples leaning over the roof so that, if they do fall, they won’t hit the house.

Everything else can wait until spring.

So I’m thinking early October to get this stuff done.

It was funny to walk through the maple grove to look at the area there.  I joked that I’ve done quite a bit of work since he was last out.  “I noticed!!” he said.  LOL  No kidding!  We could actually walk through the area and not fight our way through a blocked off path, or have to avoid tripping over pieces of tree trunk and dead branches in the tall grass.

After he left, my younger daughter and I headed into town to go to the pharmacy.  When we got back, we saw Butterscotch coming out.  I’d left some food for her and the kittens earlier, and she was eating.

One of her kittens also came to see us.

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No sign of the other three.

I look forward to starting to clean this area up, too, but I do like the idea of leaving some sort of shelter for the cats to use, too!

Just without any grody, moss covered, rotting carpet pieces.

The Re-Farmer

Some little things

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Not a particularly productive day, but a good day for little things.

And pretty things.

I’ve noticed quite a difference in behavior in the birds as they visit the feeder now, compared to when we were still just putting seed on the frozen ground.  They seem a lot more chill and relaxed!  The bird in the photo on the left was just hanging around in the feeder, pecking at a seed every now and then, shifting position now and then, but otherwise just sitting there.  Even on the planter feeder, the birds more frequently take just sit around and take their time as they feed.  Rather nice. :-)

Earlier today, my younger daughter and I made an unplanned trip to the city.  When we got home and were walking to the door, we saw Butterscotch coming over, and could see her babies over by the old dog house.  So I grabbed our things and went inside while she topped up the cat kibble, and took some over for the kittens, too.

When I came out again shortly after, I found her over by the storage house with Beep Beep.  We now know where she moved her kittens to!  They are under the storage house.  My daughter brought some kibble for them, too, and they were quite happy to scarf it down.  They are much more nervous than Butterscotch’s kittens, though, and quickly hid themselves as I walked by, even though I didn’t go towards them.  No chance for photos!

I’m happy to know where Beep Beep’s babies are, and that they are eating solid food now, too.

It’s good to enjoy the little things in life.  Especially if those little things also happen to be furry and adorable! :-D

The Re-Farmer

Fun photos

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A couple of fun photos to share with you today.

This one is from yesterday, after picking my daughter up from work.  She rescued a snowberry clearwing moth, aka hummingbird moth, while at the pharmacy.

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Then it just sort of chilled on her hand and didn’t want to leave! :-D

I got this one just a few minutes ago.  I noticed the water in the cat bowls outside was completely gone (it was another hot one, today, and the bowls are right in the sun), when I came out to see why Beep Beep was being so talkative.

After filling the bowls, I looked around for her and found her…

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I guess she didn’t want to wait! :-D

I don’t think I’ve ever seen any birds use that thing.  Maybe now I know why! :-D

The Re-Farmer

Getting closer!

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While doing one last walk around the yard at the end of the day, while there was still enough light, I got to say hello to Butterscotch by the food bowls.  I was even able to give her some cat treats.  Then Rolando Moon showed up – it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen her! – and even she got a few treats.

I decided to see what would happen if I went around the house and just sat in the grass, near where Butterscotch’s kittens are.

When Butterscotch noticed me there, she came running over for pets, mrrr’ing and meowing away.

At the sound of their mother, one of the orange kittens came running out of the bushes, almost right up to me, suddenly seemed to notice me, then ran back to the edge of the bushes!  Three other little kitty faces also began peaking at me.

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I stayed for perhaps half an hour. I had Butterscotch enthusiastically rubbing against my arms, demanding pets, while the kittens watched.  After a while, they became comfortable enough to play with each other, eventually all coming down near the edge of the bushes.  Rolando Moon came by, but she clearly does not like the kittens!  She hissed when she saw them.  One of the orange kittens really wanted to go to Rolando Moon, though, and at one point, got really close.  When Rolando Moon started hissing and growling, I got up to shoo her away.  Rolando Moon has attacked the other cats, and I didn’t want to take a chance she would hurt one of the kittens, even if it meant I scared the kittens into their wood pile in the process.

Thankfully, they did come back out again, and I even got to touch a couple!  Butterscotch was on the wood pile and I went over to pet her.  The kittens kept popping their heads out to watch, in between playing with each other.  One even went for my fingers. :-D

They were so adorable!!

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The Re-Farmer

The Call of the wild… mama

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Our mama cat has been very vocal for the past while.

That, in itself, is not unusual.  Her boy is a very quiet cat, but she has always been more talkative.

What was unusual is that as I moved around the house, she would run ahead to whatever window she could reach in the area.  I go to the entry, she’s at the outer door, meowing out the window.  I go to the kitchen, she’s up by the aquarium, yowling out the screen (where we still have that frog; it’s been leaving every night, then comes back by morning!).  I go to the living room, she follows me there…

Which was when I noticed Butterscotch’s kittens were out and running around.  They were brave enough to come up to the steps of the house.  I even got a few pictures, though I only saw three of the four kittens.

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Then I moved to the front door to see them better.

When we open the inner door, we put our little step ladder in front of it, so the cats can sit at it and look out the window.  Because we’re sucks that way.

As soon as I got to the door, our mama cat was on her ladder, front paws on the screen, yeowling away.

Which is when I realized, she wanted the kittens!  In the past, when I’ve been looking at YouTube videos of kittens that were meowing, she would come running into the room, looking for the kittens.  She seemed so upset not to find any that I stopped watching these videos unless they were muted!

Our mama wants to be a mama to the kittens outside!

The kittens have a very good mama already taking care of them, though.

This is from yesterday.

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As for today, when the kittens heard us at the door, they stopped to watch us for a while, then ran off to their nest in the wood pile.

Our mama is still calling for them every now and then!

Oh, how I wish we could get close to the kittens to socialize them! :-)

The Re-Farmer

 

Three Little Kittens…

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… have come out to play.

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Three of Butterscotch’s 4 kittens came out to play this evening.

I haven’t seen Beep Beep’s kittens in a couple of days.  I hope she didn’t move them.  They’re a bit big for that, and she’s a tiny cat!

The Re-Farmer

More Kittens!

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This morning, we finally saw Butterscotch’s kittens!

All four of them.

Looks like she found a nest for them in the pallet pile.  Which means we can see the area from our living room window.

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Mama was being very watchful!

Click on the pictures to see bigger versions.

Two orange tabbies and two are…

Is that called calico or tortoise shell?

It does make me wonder about Beep Beep’s kittens.  She has a tuxedo.  We have not seen any tuxedo cats outside.  Not even at my brother’s.

Anyhow…

My apologies for the poor quality pictures.  I was taking them through reflections on the glass.  I tried to take out the glare as much as I could when I cropped and resized the photos.

They are SO adorable!  I can’t wait until the two sets of kittens connect.

Our outdoor cat population has gone up by at least 6.  Maybe 7.

What are we going to do with them?

The Re-Farmer

More Kitten

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I had a chance to sit outside on the steps the kittens are hidden inside.  I was able to give Beep Beep some cat treats, and her little ones came out to see what was going on.

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The tuxedo came out first.  It seems to be the more adventurous one!

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It even went for my fingers! :-D

You can see a ball of ice at the bottom of the picture.  This is from my water balloon experiment.  I still don’t know if it’s working!  I’m not around to see if Beep Beep does anything with is (if nothing else, it’s watering the bush a bit), and I haven’t been around to see if the cats are checking out the larger one I left in one of their water bowls.

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The tuxedo even went farther afield while I was there.

The grey tabby did eventually come out and stay out, but by then it was too dark for photos.

The Re-Farmer

Kittens!

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I did a walk around the yard, picking up the larger twigs and branches that have come down in the wind.  I was about to head into the house when Beep Beep came over.  Normally, she comes right over for pets, but this time, she wouldn’t let me touch her, and went along the front of the house, which has the door we don’t use.  Thinking she might be more comfortable and come over if I didn’t move too much, I sat on the concrete steps while she lounged behind a bush next to them.

Then she disappeared.

I couldn’t figure out where she went, until I heard a little mmmrrr?  behind me.  Getting up I looked around, then saw her peeking at me from between the concrete steps and the basement wall under the door.

I had no idea there was space back there!  Certainly not enough for her to come through on the side I was looking in.  I walked around and sure enough, there’s a larger gap on the other side.

She came out again, but wouldn’t come near me.  Instead, she lay down on the ground behind the bush again, so I sat down.

Then, suddenly, there were kittens with her!

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I dangled my fingers over the edge of the concrete for a bit, and the tabby went for them, then disappeared behind the stairs.  The tuxedo wouldn’t come close, but was curious.

I think there is a fairly large opening under the stairs.  Not hollow, but not completely solid, either.

I saw two kittens, but when Beep Beep was rolling around, giving herself a dust bath, later on, I could see that she had three lactating teats.  So there is probably a third kitten under there!

Now we just need to figure out where Butterscotch took her babies.  I am still thinking they might be in the threshing machine.

We will then have the “onerous” task of socializing them. :-D

The Re-Farmer

Beep Beep and views

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As the girls and I headed out to the city, Beep Beep came out to see us off.

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Beep Beep is pretty much the only one of the outside cats we are seeing regularly.  Every time I see her, I am amazed by how little she is!  Just fur and bones!

During the drive to and from the city, we saw many beautiful fields of canola in full bloom.

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Gorgeous!

We even saw some cranes just half a mile from our place this morning, some pelicans flying over as we were leaving the city on a different route, and a herd of bison, with their little ones, on the final leg home.

Pretty awesome. :-)

The Re-Farmer