Cat Wars

I think I've mentioned before that our backyard is a crossroads for the local outdoor cat population. On any given morning we'll see between two to six cats lounging in the sunny spots of the yard.

This all started two years ago thanks to my sister. While we were at Rollercon, my sister was taking care of the three cats we had at the time. One day she accidentally let the little bastards out. She immediately found Lardo and Lou C, but couldn't find Max, the Angriest Cat in the World.

My sister frantically went through our backyard and even down the street, calling for Max alternately by her name and calling, Here, kitty kitty! The results? A bunch of cats showed up, but none of them were the one needed inside the house ASAP. Max strolled in hours later. My sister almost died of a heart attack from the whole experience.

Anyway, the cats that came like mice to the Pied Piper decided our backyard was awesome, so a bunch of them started hanging out there. One of them was this cat:




















It looked pissed off, doesn't it?

It took me months to be able to pet this cat, as it's skittish. But cute. I finally was able to start petting it, and so every time I went out to get my bicycle to run errands, the cat would be there, I would pet it, and our days would be more better as a result.

I call the cat "Kitty" because it answers to it. I assumed it was female at first because it looked tortoise shell-like, and tortoise shell cats are female, but Kitty is Head Honcho of the backyard, so I now think Kitty is a boy.















It has a collar, as you can see, but there's no name tag on the collar. Instead, there's a weird magnet-thingy on it. I've found screws and little pieces of metal shavings stuck to it before. I don't know if there's some sort of magnetic force field that keeps Kitty in this sphere, or what.

Kitty is now in our yard almost full-time. No matter what I come outside to do, whether it's getting the bicycle or throwing something in the trash, there's Kitty. I say hi to Kitty and stop to pet it every time I see it.
















This has pissed off our remaining cat, Lou C. So much so, that that's another reason why I think Kitty is a boy. Lou C digs the chicks, and I don't think he'd be so upset if he thought we'd be able to get a girl cat in the house. He yowls a lot when he sees Kitty now.


Kitty also has a friend:
















I haven't been able to pet this cat. It stays far away from me. But it has a similar collar to Kitty, so I assume that it also has the same owner as Kitty. I've thought about getting a paper clip and attaching a note to Kitty's collar asking what Kitty's name and address is.

One thing I haven't done is feed Kitty. Yes, I know...MIRACULOUS. I've thought about it, though. Especially since it's been so cold at night and Kitty is still outside. Even though it has a thick fur coat, I worry about Kitty.

But Lou C doesn't worry about Kitty. Whenever I come back from wherever I've gone, Lou C gets very territorial and jumps in my lap and is very insistent about not leaving my lap. Awwww, someone loves me!

Kinda.