Cull the herd
I took a couple of hours off today. I had some business to attend to at the hospital. Don't get hurt at work. It's a nightmare dealing with Workman's Comp and getting the paperwork straightened out.
I also had occasion to remove the first of what will be about a half-dozen stray cats from the homestead. I'm all about community cats, but we've accumulated some that aren't ours. The first to go is one that somehow made it's way into my garage. Judging by the size of her, she's about to be a momma.
But somewhere else.
I like the idea behind community cats. They don't live as long as regular cats. Mine get fed once a day. Mine are fixed. Mine won't add to the population. But over the last few months, some that aren't mine have made their way into the community, and that's not good.
It's tough to find a balance. I have to have, and don't mind having, a couple around to keep the rats and mice from taking up residence in the bushes that keep the back 40 from falling down the slope and into my back yard. My neighbors have it worse than I do, so we have the bushes as a way of life. The downside is that all kinds of critters live in them. Like huge raccoons, rodents, and the aforementioned community cats.
But sometimes the idea of a free meal even once a day attracts strays. So every now and again, the cat trap comes into play. Today though, the cat walked right in to the carrier and she's now a ward of the animal shelter, which is, for the most part, a no-kill facility.
Part and parcel of not having Miss June here is the ability to take care of this without her going behind my back and un-doing what needs to be done. She's why we have community cats. I thought they were going. I didn't realize until later, she'd signed us up for trap, neuter, and return.
But on the upside, that's how I know which cats are supposed to be here. They have clipped ears.
I'm hoping by the end of next week to have the herd thinned out to about three. That leaves five that have to go. And go they will.
It's part of moving forward.
I also had occasion to remove the first of what will be about a half-dozen stray cats from the homestead. I'm all about community cats, but we've accumulated some that aren't ours. The first to go is one that somehow made it's way into my garage. Judging by the size of her, she's about to be a momma.
But somewhere else.
I like the idea behind community cats. They don't live as long as regular cats. Mine get fed once a day. Mine are fixed. Mine won't add to the population. But over the last few months, some that aren't mine have made their way into the community, and that's not good.
It's tough to find a balance. I have to have, and don't mind having, a couple around to keep the rats and mice from taking up residence in the bushes that keep the back 40 from falling down the slope and into my back yard. My neighbors have it worse than I do, so we have the bushes as a way of life. The downside is that all kinds of critters live in them. Like huge raccoons, rodents, and the aforementioned community cats.
But sometimes the idea of a free meal even once a day attracts strays. So every now and again, the cat trap comes into play. Today though, the cat walked right in to the carrier and she's now a ward of the animal shelter, which is, for the most part, a no-kill facility.
Part and parcel of not having Miss June here is the ability to take care of this without her going behind my back and un-doing what needs to be done. She's why we have community cats. I thought they were going. I didn't realize until later, she'd signed us up for trap, neuter, and return.
But on the upside, that's how I know which cats are supposed to be here. They have clipped ears.
I'm hoping by the end of next week to have the herd thinned out to about three. That leaves five that have to go. And go they will.
It's part of moving forward.
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