Well, today was the day! Some very nice ladies came by and successfully captured almost every one of our outdoor felines. I had high hopes. I really did. But some part of me thought it would probably be too much to expect ALL of them to be captured in one go. And indeed, we had three “regulars” that managed to evade capture at first, but the ladies left a few traps and hauled the first load away. Within an hour or so, those last three were secured and ready to be picked up. I had been instructed not to feed the cats yesterday, in preparation for their rounding up. It was mighty hard, I’ll tell you. I have had those cats on a pretty regular feeding schedule and they were extremely disappointed in me yesterday. But I must admit, it was excellent advice. Squeaker down-right threw herself into the trap once she smelled the food inside. They hadn’t even finished setting it up! Corn Muffin (yes, that is actually what we are calling one of the cats) and Bob both went after the same bait and wound up captured together. Each one performed some seriously impressive acrobatics upon hearing the trap shut. Quite the show really.
They will all be gone for a couple of days getting checked by the vet and having some routine care administered, but come Wednesday, they’ll all be returned. And honestly, I am glad. I have become very accustomed to their company. As I go about my daily chores, there are always one or five cats trailing behind me, watching closely in case I happen to throw something edible their way. Going out and closing down the barnyard for the night, was decidedly lonely without them. It was necessary for them to go and I am incredibly grateful for the organization that is making their care possible, but I am glad it is only a temporary absence.
In other news, we had our first farm life mishap today! Wow, I made it sound like I am excited about it… Fortunately, all is well and it really wasn’t a huge deal, but truthfully, it could have been not great. I can only assume, I failed to get the latch all the way in place this morning. Although, if that is the case, I am very surprised it took as long as it did for anything to happen. Who knows; cows are very smart and Charlotte is known for head-butting the gate for attention. You have probably guessed what happened. Yes, around three o’clock I walked out the door with the intention of hopping in the truck and making my way to the grocery. Only, when I looked up toward the barn as I always do, I noticed a couple of cows milling around in FRONT of the barn. That is not where they are supposed to be. We had some fugitives on our hands! Rosie, the younger cow, clearly thought it was hilarious. She was tossing her head around and leaping left and right. Have you ever seen a cow leap? It’s something. Our whole property is in fact fenced, but with several people coming and going today, the driveway gate was open. I felt certain that if I didn’t act quickly, that would be precisely where they would go, because that’s just how things happen, isn’t it? So, off I went at a brisk walk. I didn’t want to run, for fear of spooking the cows, but I did want to arrive with some haste. I scurried by behind into the barn and scooped up something I knew they just couldn’t resist…. food. Yeah, just regular old cow feed that they get every morning, but they love it. Completely food motivated creatures. So, with scoop in hand, I placed myself in their field of vision and shook it around appealingly. In two seconds, I had two hefty bovines bounding after me and safely back through the pasture gate. And that was it. Crisis averted.
I felt pretty ashamed. How careless of me! But truth be told, these things will happen. I’m only human. I can try my hardest and establish the best routines to keep myself and all my creatures as safe as possible, but I’m going to have to allow for the occasional mishap. That’s all part of the learning process, right? I suppose I can’t have all the knowledge up front. But, in my commitment to improvement, the gate to the girls’ pasture will now be latched AND tied, for good measure.
So there you have it folks! Catching cats, and herding cattle! Just a typical day here on, Gentle Breeze Farm.