As readers of this blog and all the feral cats in my neighborhood are aware, I feed feral cats in my backyard. Leaving food out for them means I also unintentionally feed raccoons, as well as possums who hang around, trying to get in good with the guy who edits the Pogo books.
I've had as many as four feral cats at a time regularly stopping by — or just plain living in my backyard — to partake of the free buffet. At the moment though, I have but one. Lydia resides out there and she has since some time in 2007.
In 2008, as I detailed here, I captured her and took her to a vet who terminated her pregnancy and made sure she couldn't get that way again. If you have a problem with that, don't tell me. Tell the various cat care services and experts who told me that was the humane thing to do. Lydia doesn't seem to have objected. She's still living out there except when the gardeners or pool man come by, whereupon she flees to an adjoining yard until they get the hell out of her home.
A little before she came into my yard and life, I was concerned for the cats who had to weather rainstorms out there so I bought them a home — a little cat house which some of them would go into, though rarely when it was showering. Rain or shine, Lydia though never went into it.
I tried moving it to different places in the yard. She wouldn't go in there. I tried putting her food in the cat house. She'd lean in far enough to eat, then scamper away without ever putting her entire body through the door. I tried picking her up and putting her in there but she wriggled free and fled.
At one point, Carolyn tried some sort of catnip spray that was supposed to make anything you sprayed it on more feline-friendly. All that happened was that I wound up with a yard full of drunken pussycats, none of whom wanted to be in the house for more than a quick hit. I gave up the idea that Lydia would ever use the little house…
…which just shows to go ya. For no visible reason, today she's sleeping in the cat house. First time I've ever seen her in there. I took this photo about fifteen minutes ago…
