Cat Update...

I worry too much and I forget that cats are crafty. I started filling food bowls this morning and Boudreaux was first in line for chow! I gave him a quick twice over and he seemed to be fine. He ate and perched himself in his favorite spot on the sofa for a good cleaning and a nap. No doubt I will find him in the same place when I get home later.

When I went outside to look for him last night, I noticed the bugs around the security lights in my neighbor's yard. I searched for bats--they are drawn to the bugs. I'm pretty sure we have bats in the country, but I don't know that I've actually seen any. But, while I was looking for the bats, an owl swooped through the yard and perched in one of the neighbor's trees. Good! Another helper to rid the area of rats. (I really, really, really HATE rats!)

Anyway, Boo is fine--and that means I'm fine, too.

The Cat Sagas

I mentioned this morning in class that I saw three big dogs this morning that had something cornered under my neighbor's car. I thought it might be one of my cats, Boudreaux (Boo). I haven't seen him all day, and I didn't see anything under the car when I got home. If he's hurt, he may be under the house, or (and I really hope not), those dogs may have come back for him. I threw a stick at them and chased them away, but my neighbor is not the friendliest person. If my cat died under her car, she probably threw him in the trash or on the burn pile in her back yard. I know that sounds terrible (it does to me); I would prefer that she yell at me to come get my cat. I'm holding out hope that Boo is just hiding and will come out when he feels safe. I have been looking for him and calling him, but he hasn't shown up yet.

The newest member of the group, Golem, caught a rat in the backyard this afternoon. Well, think about it--bird feeders, tall grass, and chickens/chicken eggs across the ditch--a rat's paradise! And, of course, the rat snakes indicate that rats live around here. Golem dispatched the rat in short order, leaving only the head (in the grass; I closed the back door to keep him from bringing it in to the house). The other cats displayed typical cat curiousity and tried to get a look at his snack, but he wasn't sharing. I need to thank the professor who gave Golem to me; he's a good ratter.

I'm going to call for Boudreaux again. I'm hoping he's just chilling somewhere--he does that every once in a while, even though he's neutered; my cats stay close to home, but they'll go on short forays, mostly to chase chickens. I'm hoping that's what Boo is doing.