Update Oct 14 2022
It’s about time for another update about what’s been happening around the cat ranch.
The raccoons only show up every two or three nights. A couple of weeks ago, when they showed up, it was only the mom and two of the kits. The next day, when I was heading to town, I saw that one of the kits had been hit crossing the highway. That really made me sad. With the cold nights, I decided to put the pool away for the season.
Over the last month, one after another, my cats started getting sick. Mainly coughing, sneezing and trying to hack up phlegm. Some were affected more that others but at least two thirds of my cats got sick and it’s taken at least three weeks for them to get over it. The cats out in the barn stayed clear of it. Spit Kitty got it the worst and probably had other complications. He’s still on meds for another couple of weeks, but is finally getting over it.
An interesting story, in the middle of all that, Tawny came down with something of his own. He was lethargic and running a temperature. Now normally, whenever Tawny would see me, he’d take off like his hair was on fire. You can imagine the wild chase to get him in the carrier to go to the vet. After he got an antibiotic shot and got home, he was quiet for a couple of days. Since then, he’s been totally at ease around me. He still doesn’t like to be petted, but other than that he’s like a whole new cat. Strange, but nice.
This month has been busy with vet visits for exams and shots. Seven so far and another three before the month is done.
Another of my neighbors apparently split the sheets and moved out. I don’t know who got what of the pigs, goats, chickens and turkeys, but they’re all gone. It looks like they left one or more cats behind. Yesterday evening, when I was feeding my barn kitties, I noticed a little black short haired cat crouched down by the fence between my yard and theirs. I set a plate of food where he could see it and when I looked out a few minutes later, he had inhaled the food and was trying to lick the pattern off the plate. I set out another plate of food and he wasn’t shy at all about going after that too. Tonight was a replay at the afternoon feeding where he ate three plates of food and at the late night feeding where he only ate a little over two helpings. He’s friendly and ‘petable’ but not totally comfortable around the other cats. I hope he isn’t a she and packing babies, but he sure came go through the groceries.
As for myself, I’ve been keeping busy everyday. As soon as I finish one project, another one or two show up. The recent rains showed that there was a low section of my barn roof that wasn’t letting the rain run off like it should. I ended up jacking things up and replacing a couple of rafters.
I also just got my flu vaccination and the latest ‘Bivalent’ Covid booster.