From Diane… The Catsat Old Friends

The Old Friends cat population has reached double figures. We have three barn cats, three house cats, a garage cat and, with the recent addition of two kittens, three office cats. Some of our cats are shelter cats, some we rescued. A couple of them rescued themselves, jumping into Michael’s car and refusing to leave. They knew a soft touch when they saw one. Only one, Buddy, our Number One office cat, just showed up one day and moved in. Buddy is a long-haired ginger and white male. He was a tomcat when he first appeared, and he was a mess. His fur was matted and he looked like he hadn’t been eating regularly. He moved into the barn with Seamus, Baldwin and Dina, and he got along with all of them, no easy matter. They’re very territorial. When Buddy became sick and we took him to the Midway Small Animal Hospital. Dr. Nancy McGregor diagnosed a serious blood disease. She kept Buddy at the hospital to treat him. She neutered him and she also worked miracles on his matted coat. He looked very handsome when he came home to recuperate in the office. The plan had been to return him to the barn, but Buddy obviously enjoys the office life. He’s very friendly. He greets visitors at the door and likes all the attention that comes his way. He even puts up with being groomed, occasionally. He’s also a first-class mouser. In the warmer weather we have to keep an eye on the front porch because he likes to display his victims, lined up in neat rows, and not everyone who visits Old Friends wants to be greeted by an array of dead rodents. Recently we discovered that in addition to his friendly disposition and hunting ability, Buddy has nurturing skills. Last fall somebody abandoned four kittens in front of the farm. Eventually we were able to trap three of them. They’re beautiful little cats, one female tortoiseshell and two with Siamese markings, a male and a female. We brought them to The Midway Small Animal Hospital for shots and neutering. “I need names,” Dr. McGregor said when we dropped them off. We hadn’t really thought about it. “Larry, Curly and Mo,” Michael said. They kept Mo, who turned out to be Monique, at the hospital, where she was adopted by a woman who’d had some recent setbacks and needed a friend. Larry and Curly came back to the office, where Uncle Buddy took on the job of socializing them. They’re still a bit skittish and stand-offish, but with Buddy’s mentoring, they get a little bit friendlier every day. We’re still not sure what to call them. Maybe they’ll just stay Larry and Curly. And what about the one that got away? I left food out for him – I think it’s a male – regularly, until a couple of weeks ago, when he stopped showing up to eat it. I assumed the worst until a few nights ago when I saw him – I think it was him – in back of the house. I have been leaving dry food out for him every night since, and it disappears, although it may be eaten by skunks or raccoons or possums. I keep hoping he will find his way to the barn to partake of the feline buffet I lay out there every night.