A post for Pete…
There are several little black cats that have no home. Last year there was a small black cat and a ginger cat. Later on there were two black cats and a ginger cat (or so we thought). The ginger cat has gone. My next door-but-one neighbour feeds them (often smoked salmon).
I was concerned that if we didn’t do anything there may be more black cats appearing. After speaking to the vets and the Kendal branch of the RSPCA they said they would neuter them at their cost. So I borrowed a cat trap.
Last night I came back and there were three black cats, and they looked hungry. After baiting the trap, and plenty of patience and jiggery pokery with two cat boxes I managed to catch all three.
This morning, I tried to change the paper in the bottom of the boxes, but one escaped and dashed around the room, at first (gauntlet less) I got attacked and I have a sore finger now that I need to keep an eye on, but then I caught it. Amazing little brute!
Dropping them off at the vets, I assumed two of the cats were the offspring, and the third was the mother. I was surprised when I picked them up that they were all boys (emphasis on the ‘were’). Now, nutless, they can’t create more black cats. But what of the mother. Well, tonight, I’ve caught her and she is waiting in the cat trap in the shed (with the recovering sore little boys) for tomorrows operation.
I just couldn’t bear them being put down, so they will be a family of four again, unless there are others I don’t know about!
Not sure I approve – it would have been better to have them put down – that might have saved the population of small birds (about to make nests this spring) from being eaten for fun by evil black cats!
Ahhhhhhhh! Gorgeous! If only I could take some home, but Andromeda would not approve.
How very kind of you to put so much effort into caring for strays. Not many people would bother. Well done. (As for Pete’s comment on “putting them down”, well, no comment….)
So who is looking after and feeding the family of four now….?
Hmm, that is a cute picture of “Offspring 2”! Perhaps that’s how they manage to catch so many innocent rodents; by looking at them all cute like? Anyway, what of the Mum’s operation? And the release back into the wild?
I need to know so I can come and mow them down on the main road… (Only kidding – it might damage the car! π )
Oops, also meant to ask, how’s your finger where one bit you?
Mother is doing fine, thanks for asking. She’s very tame and very friendly. She will be let back out in a few days when there are signs of no complications. She’s a bit sore I’m sure as it’s a much more serious op, but they do recover quickly.
As regards my finger. A full course of antibiotics is the order of the day.
The RSPCA dropped off 2 carrier bags of food for them so they are eating tinned and sachet food rather than birds.
So what does your dog think of all these felines moving in? I am sure it will enjoy the cat food, given the chance, Ian’s dog does!!
It would be good if the dog ate some of the cats (for fun). In just the same way the cats eat rare birds (e.g. sparrows), mice on the edge of extinction (e.g. harvest and dormice), and endangered frogs too! Check out this link for more details… π
Its the law of nature Pete. πΏ Cats catch the slow and infirm to ensure the survival and progression of the species, otherwise God :good: wouldn’t have invented them. Would you be pleased to have your electrics or water pipes damaged by rodents??? We can hire out Andromeda at a reasonable rate if you ever have a problem.
PS>>>>>>>>>> do you miss the dodo?……. thought not π
I think I’ll keep out of this debate. Suffice to say, I let the mother go today, she’ll feel the cold on the bald patch.
She had become a little bolder and wilder as she recovered, so thought best to let her go and find her mate (too late there) and her kittens.
Just as the Dodo was killed off by outsiders (man) to it’s natural habitat, many animals are pushed to extinction by forces that have been artificially introduced. So, NO it is definitely not the “law of nature” Ian! Cats should not be here eating Blue Tits and Robins for fun, they came from Egypt (or perhaps the “Near East”) check this link. This island was never designed by nature to have wicked predators like cats prowling around…
So, YES given a choice of either no song birds, or the non-indigenous predator cats, I’ll take the Tits please. π
Oooooer, phnar phnar and all that.
Enough! Man (not woman of course :good: ) is the worst predator of all!!!
True Laetitia. We could also discuss the introduction of Rabbits (from the Romans?), Grey Squirrel (make tasty meals), Spanish Bluebells, Sheep, Mink, Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knot Weed, Rhododendrons etc all introduced that have had an impact on our own habitat.
And the removal of Wolves, Wild Boar etc. by man.
What about ‘man’ that breed birds just to shoot, shoot ducks, plus the Italians that shoot swifts……
Good point Dave. If cats did introduce Japanese Knot Weed then they should all be rounded up and gotten rid of. Thank you for starting the process by cutting the bits off a few of them. It’s a start, we must continue, catch more and chop their bits off. Go to it!. π