The cats are entertaining. They require a bit more maintenance than a TV, but the value of entertainment is often worth it. Especially these days when we don't have to feed them - Pop is still cleaning out Granny's freezer from decades old meat, and the cats haven't noticed that their daily meal is past the "best used by" date. In fact they turn tail on the dry food we put out for them - tough.
So it is getting dark early here. On our side of the road, the sun is setting by 4:30 pm. We're closer to the mesa, so more quickly in its shadow. For safety I have been walking our road instead of the highway - also, the cats will likely follow me. Usually I can put food out for them, and they will stay at the bowl as I walk away. Given the cat-feeding elf that keeps filling their bowl and their current attitude to what I offer, this trick is less effective. Oh well - I'm all for not having to feed them.
I took a brisk walk as soon as I got home one afternoon last week. All three kittens dashed out with me, but were faked out by my abrupt turn away from the highway. Not Peanut stayed behind, likely because the last time she followed me in that direction, it was to the neighbors for eggs, and their dog scared her into a barn for half an hour until I walked home. So Tiger and Crusty followed. Crusty fell behind pretty quickly, and Tiger soon did, too. I could hear a truck on the highway and turned in time to see it was a neighbor from farther south on the road. I tried meowing for Tiger to catch up with little effect. I kept looking over my shoulder to see where the truck was, so I could step off the road when he got close. As I passed our neighbor with the chickens, their dog sighted Tiger and ran across the yard barking all the way. I turned back in time to see the black mass of fur speed across the road and through the barbwire fence towards Tiger, who bolted straight up a tree about eight to ten feet up. I couldn't stop laughing. At the same time, our neighbor had slowed to as stop as the dog chased the cat right in front of his truck. When I looped back to the tree, Tiger had already climbed down in hiding, but came running out to walk at my feet like some well-heeled dog as I passed home. Crusty was at their driveway in a culvert and joined us, too. I laughed and laughed.
Last night I tried the feeding method before walking to Mom & Pop's. I was meeting Thomas over there to unload the stove. It didn't work, and the cats all followed. I tossed Not Peanut back a few feet, and she went back to the house to wait, but the boys followed. It was already dark, so it was hard to see if they were following. I tried to scuff my feet in their direction to scare them off, but Tiger persisted. Heading down the highway, I did some ridiculous flailing in the middle of the road trying to shoo Tiger back to the house, but it was only a game or a dance to him. Gratefully, it was dark. I sped up, knowing Tiger wasn't one to keep up, and hoped he would turn back. I visited with Mom while I waited for Tom to show. As we were unloading the stove, Tiger came prowling into the garage. I was barely able to catch him to haul him home.
They really might make me crazy, though. Working in the house in the dark, our house sounds like it is haunted by old ghosts scratching at the walls. Really it is the cats clawing on the house, climbing onto window ledges, scaling the walls to look into windows. It isn't so bad when you can look out and see them, but when they are all on a different side of the house making noise in the dark, it can be a little unnerving. Still - better than half the shows on TV...
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