Sunday, October 11, 2009

Oh my! Kittens!















I’m allergic to cats. They make my eyes swell painfully and I can’t breathe. But, my allergy is nothing compared to that of my brother and my father. All of us, mother and sister included are allergic to cats. That does not mean I don’t like cats or am not reduced to cooing and stupidly sighing at kittens like the ones playing in my back yard.

A momma cat has set up a home between my house and my ancient neighbors. She was living in their wood pile until Vicky, sweet though ancient, decided to barricade the pile to hopefully force them all to leave. It hasn’t worked, momma cat simply moved herself to my side of the fence, taking refuge under my arborvitaes and kept the kittens in the wood pile.

She made the move a few weeks ago and Sam actually first made the discovery. I let him out and then heard an angry hiss. More than a little convinced that he had stumbled across a raccoon or opossum I rushed out to see if I could interceded before my dog got is ass kicked. All 10 lbs of the momma cat (she is a slight thing) was reared up in panicked ass-kicking mode and Sam was motionless. I shoo-ed him inside and gave Momma cat run of the back yard. For about two weeks she’s been guarding the back entrance to the wood pile and Sam has been giving her a wide berth.

Until I looked out the back yard this morning, I wasn’t sure how many were living in that space. There are three, currently playing between the potted plants on the tables in the back yard. And I don’t know what to do about them. I’m sure they won’t survive the winter and Vicky is sure they are too feral to be taken into the humane society. Animal control offered to catch them, fix them and then bring them back. I have no idea what that would accomplish, I mean besides preventing further litters. I’m not sure how it’s going to keep them alive, as it gets colder. I have an old dog crate, I’m thinking of seeing if I could waterproof the thing and add a blanket. Ugh. These babies are too cute and too skittish.

(This one ran back to the fence as soon as it heard me at the window.)