Sammie

coyotes and pets

There is that cat, again, hiding behind the bushes. I don't want a pet. I don't need a pet. Cleaning out a litter box every day is not my idea of fun. And litter boxes have to be cleaned out at least twice a day. If not, bad. The smell, awful. My friend's home has that smell. And better yet, an uncleaned litter box will have the feline using the whole house as their private privy. Not in my home.

Why is that cat here? In my back yard. I have no cat food to give it. Any I hear from my cat owner friends, do not feed a cat human food. I only have human food. Tomorrow is another day. Maybe a chat with Ari next door about what to do. May have to call animal control.

"Hey Ari," Mary called to her neighbor.

"Good morning. What's going on with you?"

"Have you noticed that stray cat hanging around? It seems to like my back yard."

"Oh right, yes, once. But this is a different stray. I think the other one didn't make it. There are coyotes roaming around here."

"Yes. I don't know what to do. Do I feed it? I really don't want a cat or any pet for that matter," Mary said.

"I hear you. We have five cats now, mostly strays." Ari laughs out loud.

"I am already known as the crazy cat lady." They both laughed.

"Ok, I'll figure something out Ari," Mary said waving.

Mary walked back over to her home. She went straight to the kitchen. I don't have anything a cat would like to eat she thought. Then she spotted the canned salmon. Well, cats eat fish. They eat birds as well, but I am not going to catch a bird! Ok, if I see the cat again, it gets some salmon. That will be healthy, omega 3's.

The day went smoothly by, errands, meet ups with friends, then back home. Maybe some cleaning, here and there. It was getting toward dusk. Time for the stray to show up she thought. She walked to the back porch window. Yup, peering from behind the flowering hummingbird bush, cat eyes. Ok. She walked back to the kitchen, took out two bowls from the pantry, one smaller than the other, food and water bowls. She grabbed the can of salmon, opened and scooped out two tablespoons of salmon. She mashed it a bit, make it easier to chew. She poured filtered water into the larger bowl and placed them on a bamboo tray.

She walked onto the porch and paused. Should I put the food on the porch or by the bush? She saw the stray watching her. Probably smells the salmon. What to do?

Mary decided to take the tray to the bush and set it down there. She walked slow with gentle steps. The cat had vanished. She placed the tray down, behind the bush where the cat was peeking from, turned and walked back to her house. Once inside, she peeked through the window. She could just see the tray. No cat. She stood and looked out of the window for a while. She felt some sadness. Salmon is all I have she thought. Next grocery trip, I'll pick up some cat food.

She didn't want to stand and watch, so she walked to the kitchen to get some stuff done. She returned to the back window and to her surprise, the stray cat was eating the salmon. Mary felt relief and contentment. The cat probably felt the same. She walked back to the kitchen to now make her dinner.

It was dark. Mary walked to the back. She turned on the porch light, stepped outside and walked to the bush. The bowl of salmon was licked clean. The water bowl was half full. Next time, three tablespoons of salmon, she thought. She picked up the tray. She placed the water bowl back on the lawn. Everything needs water, she thought. She smiled, walking back to her place carrying the tray. She turned the porch light off.

Next morning, Mary noticed the cat sitting near the bush and not behind it. She took the salmon out of the fridge, scooped out three tablespoons and mashed them, with a little filtered water in the bowl. She poured a carafe of water. Out to feed the cat. She stepped out onto the porch, The cat moved to the back of the yard, near the fence. Mary could see the cat, who was watching her. Must be hungry. This time, Mary put the food down a little more away from the bush. She rinsed out the water bowl. It was dirty. Most likely raccoons she thought, then filled it with water. Walking back to the house, Mary turned around and noticed the stray in full view now but waiting before eating. She smiled. After inside, she saw that the cat was eating. She walked away and got on with her day.

Her day went quickly by. Always something to do. Mary would look out the back window now and again. No cat. There was a sense of sadness. I'll get some cat food for it. Mary thought, I will name the stray Sammie. That will work for a male or female. Mary nodded in agreement with this decision. She left for the store.

It was later afternoon. Mary was excited about her purchases. She really had not felt this way for an animal before. She bought actual cat food, squishy and crunchy and a cat tree. She would have to assemble the cat tree. As long as it had an Allen wrench. She smiled. She fed Sammie outside, even closer to the porch than before. Tomorrow, I put the food on the porch she thought.

The day arrived, the food bowls were placed on the porch, next to the cat tree. Mary had an appointment so she couldn't wait around to watch. She returned later that afternoon, put the perishables in the fridge then rushed to the porch. She snuck up to the window. There was Sammie, sitting in the cat house, on the cat tree. She checked the food bowls. Squishie was gone, some crunchie was left. But Sammie was on the porch!

Sammie was resting. If I step out on the porch, Sammie will probably run away. It was not yet dusk, so Mary waited. There were always chores to do. As it was getting toward dusk, Mary prepared Sammie's food. Well, now or never she thought. With food bowls in hand, she stepped out onto the porch. She and Sammie stared at each other. Mary dropped her stare, walked over and replaced the food bowls. She did not look at Sammie for fear of scaring the cat. She finished replacing the food and slowly turned and walked back into the house. She turned and peeked out the window. Sammie was off the cat tree and eating the food. Mary smiled.