She does look quite happy there. Is she an outdoor only cat now?
I have a feeling that there’s just great Karma hovering over your place. Seems everything that comes there is happy,
plants and cats. :yes:
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She is outdoors only. At Cat Lady’s, they had a cat flap, but they were 80% outside anyway, preferring it, and this one especially liked to pick “private” times and would leave again if she thought too many others were around. She is the nearest to cat antisocial that I have. In fact, she’s antisocial with people, too, as mentioned above. She’s just one of those who, as Kipling put it, walks by herself. I’ve actually invited her in, but that didn’t work. The trouble is, Rascal doesn’t want to share. My indoor pride is playful and boisterous, and the first time somebody pounced on and rolled her, the Offended Dignity was monumental, and she was asking to leave herself as soon as she realized the presence and character of the others. I don’t think she could ever live in a house other than as a single cat. Even outside, with plenty of room for everyone, none of the others play with or snuggle with her. That is her own choice.
But what a compliment it is to have an antisocial cat be affectionate to you. You know it’s not a fawning in the style of some dogs delivered to anybody who will pet them. It is a considered evaluation of you as a person and a statement that you have been Found Worthy. Purr.
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" pounced on and rolled", :D:lol:
can just picture her shock. Get me outta here, they’re all crazy in here.
Your indoor kitties must be a HOOT!
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Here’s a great picture that I got yesterday. Took it through the front window. Cotton and Bagheera.
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And here’s Satin (out) and Pilgrim (in).
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Cotton on the back deck tonight, surveying his realm.
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Bagheera poses over the rose I adopted from my friend who went into the nursing home.
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Four cats on one window perch. From left, Pharaoh, Solo, Mystery, Atticus.
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We’re all a basket case here.
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And a craft project I did several years ago. Just posting it because I still after several years think it’s adorable.
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When walking out to the mailbox at noon, I decided to take a few minutes today and attempt an autumn photo shoot with Cotton, who climbs trees on command. It turned out pretty well.
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November marks four years since my friend the Cat Lady died, leaving behind 16 cats. Seems hard to believe it’s been four years. I can still hear her voice when a cat would rear up on me and I would state, “I am not a tree.” She would say, “Yeah, you are. Yeah, you are.” 
Four years. Some have been placed. A few went MIA. Two have died. Many still right here on my farm, happy and loving the country farm life.
I’ve done my best for them, my friend.
Of the six cats visible through the window here, five of them were Cat Lady’s. Cory, the pinto with amputated ear, though that’s not really visible here, was a preexisting barn cat. The sixth cat in this shot is rather camouflaged; follow the hand rail down the steps, and it points straight to her.
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I can’t believe it’s been four years! Thank you for the photo updates - I always enjoy them, along with the details you add!
Sorry, sorry, sorry, this sprung to mind!
Sixteen cats, what do I get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don’t you call me 'cause I can’t go,
I owe my soul to the cat food store.
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Cute! I once was in a discussion of food budgets and mentioned mine, and somebody protested, “With all those cats, too?” Well, no. Cats are a separate line item on the budget.
But I get amply paid in purrs, rubs, and, in the case of Cotton, tree climbing on command. I always love to come home from rehearsal or such and pull into the driveway. They are car wise, but normally, the first cat hits the car within 15 seconds of me turning it off. I get out to find a welcoming committee on the roof, and then I pet everybody for a few minutes before heading on to the house. The other week, I had car trouble, and a church friend brought me home. HER car, not MINE, pulled into the driveway, and as I got out, I saw cats on the fringes, hanging back at a distance. Wrong vehicle.
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Preview of coming attractions: I am going to build a cat hut. It will have multiple entrance/exit holes, all facing north (the direction of least-often prevailing weather) and an access top for me to replenish straw or in the hypothetical event that an injured cat holes up in there and doesn’t want to come out.
Five sheets of exterior-grade plywood bought yesterday and sawed up some at the store to fit in my Focus. You can put five sheets of plywood in a Focus, but you need a little bit of mechanical assistance to do so. I have a big order of heavy-duty brackets and braces on the way from Amazon, should be here today. Hopefully I’ll be able to get started this afternoon on it in farm project hour. It will take several days, between building, caulking and letting the caulk dry, painting, etc.
I even have the perfect emblem for the front, if I can get it attached. You know those family decals on cars, showing parents, kids, sometimes pets, etc? I found one a few years ago showing one woman trailed by a whole line of cats. One even had a Mystery tail. I ordered one for the car, and they sent me two stuck together, obviously a packing error. One is on the car, and the second one has waited in a drawer for some appropriate place. I’m going to try to affix it somehow to the cat hut. Glue or something. It adhered beautifully to the auto glass on the car, but I have a feeling that painted plywood is a different surface.
Tune in for progress!
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Pick up some Gorilla Glue- great stuff to adhere about anything around the farm.
How many cats will the Cat Hut hold? Will they eat in or out? Will there be a floor or barrier for the cold ground?
I love this idea and maybe a great place for old blankets or bedspreads to curl up inside?
I’ll look for Gorilla Glue, thanks.
It will be 8 feet x 3. It could hold all if they felt like it. I was aiming for large enough for multiple occupancy or even two or three feline clusters, small enough to hold warmth and be snug. They do have some other shelter spots around the farm, but this will definitely be the tightest, most draft proof, and the only designated building. It will have concrete blocks on the ground to raise the floor above snowline (which isn’t that high here) and allow for rain and such drainage. There will be a floor over that. It will be secured to the blocks. They will never be fed in there. Snuggle/sleeping space only.
I was thinking blankets at first, but after research, I discovered that straw is the most recommended for an outdoor cat shelter due to its ability to process moisture. Even with floor elevated some, they will track in snow, etc. Blankets can get wet in places and then even freeze and get stiff. Straw is very heat-preserving, is nestable, handles moisture better than almost anything else, and just needs fluffed now and then, but it retains fluffiness better than cloth. It’s also more adjustable for cats to determine their own groupings for the night.
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Sounds very COZY. The straw idea makes sense. My elderly long haired girl likes to curl up inside the large low Coontie
Palm which grows in a morning sunny spot. It also protects from wind. So the straw is probably a great idea.
Do they need a heated waterer? It’ll be interesting how many kitties will use the hut.
Please don’t forget pictures!!!
As always, everything takes longer than expected. It’s a start, though.
The cats do not have a heated water dish, but I hand-carry them hot water on cold days. I think of it as “kitty tea.”
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That’s quite a building project that I’m sure will be put to good use by your Pride, looking forward to seeing the finished product.
I had to laugh at your description of Rascal’s “TortiTude”, they are all or nothing cats.
Gorilla also makes a wonderful wood glue that works very well.
Coming along s-l-o-w-l-y. I didn’t work on it yesterday (rehearsal with Singers takes up four hours, drive included, so that pretty well kills my project time that day).
There will be another shelf lower on the other side. So two levels of shelves plus the bottom, and there will be straw. It will also be trimmed on the sides. It isn’t near done yet, but it’s taking shape.
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I know your kitties like each other but there might be some that would like their own spot. You could put up a couple of dividers at the ends for those kitties.
Will you also be painting the inside? It will make it easier to clear up if you do.
The straw is purrfect for the inside!
There will be a few sort of divided compartments on the bottom, under the shelves. I hadn’t thought of painting the inside. Hmm.
Ummmm…shouldn’t Cotton have a wee white hard hat and a clip board with his list of preferences and instructions? :lol:
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