Monday, April 10, 2006

Bad Cat!

Some of you asked if our cats bothered the birds. Not often, surprisingly. We find a few bird feathers, usually from a starling, in the barn occasionally. That's most often when a mother cat has been hunting and is feeding kittens.

Zoey, Toby and Alice


Some of the cats like to spend a little time sitting on the porch or the railing, in the hope that a bird will come close enough for them to 'reach out and touch'. But the birds are much smarter than that.
Yesterday I got out and did some tidying up in the garden, and of course a few cats had to 'help' me.

Toby is a great helper :)

That's always fun, pushing them out of the way every couple of minutes. They love to be 'up close and personal'.
I had my camera in my pocket just in case an opportunity arose for a good photo. The birds were singing up a storm in the big maple and busily visiting the feeders.

I decided to snap a few pictures of an unusually friendly red-winged blackbird, but of course, the cats followed me. I think there were three at my feet. Therefore, I had no hope at all of capturing a decent picture of any bird with this entourage following. But....surprisingly, the bird stayed right there on a low tree branch and continued chattering at me. I thought r-w black birds were shy. Not this one!

It even flew to the tray feeder and helped itself to some seed while I stood nearby snapping pictures. A real dare-devil!


A friendly little chickadee flew down to pose as well, and to scold the cats while he was at it.


But, this is not what I started out to tell you. The original thoughts I had for this post concerned this black devil, Tuxedo,

who I recently caught in the act of trying to pilfer the birdies' suet from the front porch.

If he can't eat the birds, then he'll have their food!

I banged on the glass door trying to dissuade him, but he ignored me. So I snapped his picture for evidence, instead.

Finally, he turned and looked at me. "What?" He said. "Do you have a problem? Can't you see I'm busy!"

That's a cat with a bad attitude!
He's in trouble.

11 comments:

Alice said...[Reply]

Kerri - your photos tell their own story. You are really getting the hang of that camera, and the results are here for all of us to enjoy.

I see the photos have posted to a larger size this time. Did you use Picasa to Hello? Whatever, you're doing - keep doing it.

Susie said...[Reply]

Kerri,
These pictures are so delightful! I so love your kitties! Tuxedo doesn't look the least bit afraid of you. I think he knows what a kind heart you are!

Jellyhead said...[Reply]

I love all these photos! My favourites are the red-winged blackbird on the tray feeder, with forest in the background, and then the series of photos of your 'black devil'.

What a lovely slice of your life, to brighten my day! - thanks Kerri.

sonia a. mascaro said...[Reply]

Great photos, Kerri. I agree with Alice and other friends, these photos are beautiful and your cats are lovely! I like cats but I am a "dog people". Did you have dogs too?

clairesgarden said...[Reply]

I love the cats , they look so happy and naughty! my cats don't seem to bother the birds but a neighbors cat who is always hungry sometimes gets them, I give them food for him sometimes and have paid his vet fees too but they don't seem to care!!

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...[Reply]

Caught in the Act I should say. He's really into trouble.

Sigruns German Garden said...[Reply]

Good story! All over the world the cats are similar.

Sigrun

Anonymous said...[Reply]

We like the kitty pics, grandma!

Love,
Corey and Kyle

Val said...[Reply]

I thought the cat was saying "Who, me??" So innocent-looking - hah!

David (Snappy) said...[Reply]

He could be related to my Cat cara, the same who me look when caught in the act.Cara has a habit of jumping on the side and taking chicken bones out from a stock pot or eating off plates!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...[Reply]

Oh...I love your sweet kitties. One of these days I'll post a picture(when I take it) of my husband going out to the garden with his entourage of seven cats. Talk about having to push a kitty away...everytime he bends down one climbs on his knees.

There are too many cats here to sneak up on birds...when one is sneaking another cat is walking by.
Your pictures are great.