Joys of Winter

Very funny, jeni He's now outside the front door. Husband is trying a new tactic...put his fleece into carrying basket, and entice him to go inside for a wee bite. Then we'll wizz down to Campbeltown. Simples!

I think he has been reading GN and knows what's up!

Seventimesfive The nice man lives near the Mull of Kintyre - some distance from here. We have the traps and J knows how to operate and transfer the cats into a travelling basket. Mother and kits are wild. Rory is as good as wild...which means they are all going to make a hell of a fuss. Rory is a canny cat, bless him. If only he knew that we were not going to rob him of his freedom.

baggy Nice man came back. Still no cat. If he makes his way into trap by 4 o'clock at the latest, we'll transport him to the vet in Campbeltown. The nice man will ring the vet, and if he's there, will collect and take good care of him overnight. He really is a great chap. Spends much of his free time trying to do the right thing by feral felines. We have three traps. Mother and kits call around at five-ish. We shall have to try to capture them Sunday and get to the vet first thing Monday morning.
As for bloshy cockerels, we used to feed chickens and a very cocky cock when friends were away. Cock used to attack J. On one occasion, J turned awkwardly to fend attacker off, slipped and badly sprained his ankle. By gum...it didn't 'arf 'urt...J let rip with some very colourful expletives

supernana You really ARE being kind! Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind as the saying goes. I do hope Rory takes the bait. What do you mean, you'll be in charge of the situation? Surely the nice man will try again?

But, super, you're being kind to him!

Isn't it amazing how animals can sense things being out of the ordinary? Our cockerel is quite bloshy most of the time and we have to be bloshy back to keep him in order, but if we ever try to catch him, all the bluster and chest-puffing and showing of vicious spurs comes to nothing and he's away out of reach!

bagitha Rory is sitting on the other side of the fence. He must be hungry. He knows that something is not quite right. I feel absolutely AWFUL.

Seventimesfive This is all so silly and upsetting. Nice man has gone elsewhere for twenty minutes. When he returns, if Rory hasn't been tempted by the bait, we'll be in charge of the situation.

Sorry!

Why aren't I surprised?

Is nice man waiting too?

The nice man called, and Rory went awol...so now it's a waiting game

supernana I'm on tenderhooks - will he be captured, how will it go! What a drama! I'm sure that once the initial trauma of capture is over and he is snipped and back home safely you can both relax. I have heard that cats are calmer once they are 'done'. Hope you can find something to distract yourself while he is gone

jeni Had mine twenty years ago.

Is he going to give you the snip as well?

Butter bagitha My stomach is in knots and I feel nauseous. Rory reclining in his day-bed [just inside the back door]. Hasn't been fed but isn't making a fuss. Nice man could be here any time now, 'though he did say that if there wasn't a trap available, he would come another day. Quite frankly, I'm in such a dither, he may need to take me along for treatment

Will update when possible.

super, I'm crossing everything in the hope that all goes according to plan without Bloshy taking a chunk out of nice man!

Hope the nice man will arrive, and Rory will be done and dusted (to coin a phrase!)

Butter Advised not to give Rory breakfast. Nice man hopes to be here by 11.00 with trap, in which will be a tempting morsal. Nice man will need to keep out of sight. The moment we open the back door, Rory barges in, sharpens his claws on the door mat, and then follows me out to his apartment, where I shake his blankets and present him with food and clean water. Tonight, for a treat, he's having fresh chicken... If traps aren't available, I shall have fretted unduly, and he'll have had a reprieve.

Oh crikey super! I can see that capturing him could present a problem - and sounds like he might not take to it kindly if he's still semi-feral. Do you have a date set for him yet? Perhaps just concentrate on Rory for the moment, wifelet and kits can continue to enjoy their high-tea for a bit longer!

Butter
Although he has lived in the wild for almost all his life [we think] Rory has adapted very well to his new "home" and "minders." If anyone calls at the house, he either runs and hides, or stands his ground and growls. He is very affectionate with us and follows my husband around the garden and into the shed. He has a day-bed [a rush basket with blanket] in which he rests outside the front door on good weather days. We haven't been subjected to bloshiness for several weeks. He has his routine and he seems to be in good health. I'm worrying myself silly over the business of capturing him. He'll then have the trauma of being transported 22 miles to the vet. That won't be the end of the matter, because the nice man wishes to capture his wifelet and the two kits, one of which is a female. Wifelet and kits live in the forest. They visit the garden late afternoon for high tea and a romp in and out of their father's apartment.

- Still, it's for the best, super. Do you thing he'll be less bloshy after having the snip?

Dear Rory
fine
fussy
feral cat
tomorrow could be an historic occasion
of sorts -
because we care
because we dare
you may be
tempted
trapped
transported
tiddled with and 'snipped' [by a vet]
after which you'll
rest
relax
recover
return
to a right royal homecoming.

'You have to be cruel to be kind'...but I feel rotten for putting you through the forthcoming trauma.

Thank you. WE might have more snow tonight apparently.

Here's a bit for you Jess

That is lovely B. iron hard frost and grey skies here again. But the sun is shining somewhere.

Wow - a setting harvest moon in a pale indigo sky this morning. Clear as a pin.

No snow!