Heidi Chronicles: Heidi's BACK!

I'm really impressed with Heidi and the Lt. sticking around while you wrestled with the ladder and changed that bulb. That is a HUGE change in routine, and it shows a remarkable level of trust for them to have watched it all while in the open.

The well-mannered behavior of Heidi's kits, true of every kit every year (well, yes, Dennis was a brat, but then you did spoil her) convinces me that every lesson she teaches follows a "watch me and do as I do" format. This is no doubt true of lessons in the forest as well as at the buffet; and really, they couldn't have a better example to follow. What does surprise me is that none of her daughters even approach, much less equal, her mothering and teaching skills. You'd think they would learn that from her as well, at least some of them.

I think there's little doubt that Kitty would like to move indoors. The boys are old enough that they no longer need her presence/protection; she knows you're trustworthy and the dog is no contest, has explored the house, knows it's safe and warm and has wonderful soft sleeping spots, great food, clean and private hygiene area; why on earth would she prefer to be out in the wind and wet and heat, worrying about predators and cars, when she could be safe and dry indoors? She's not a true feral for whom confinement in a house is inherently terrifying; I'm sure the indoor life looks really appealing.

And of course the boys aren't yours; of course not. If it makes you feel better, just keep telling yourself that as you fix their food, lol....

You'll NEVER guess what I just came back from doing! ;-)

It all started when Widget said he had to go outside. I'm not sure how we got from there to...me playing with those 2 kittens, you know, the ones that aren't mine. Earlier today when I was upstairs for something I brought down a couple of the toys I had bought for Kitty when she was up there. I brought down the fish on a [stretchy] string attached to a fishing pole. You've no doubt seen this inexpensive toy many times before. I had picked it up at the grocery store back when Kitty was convalescing upstairs.

When I opened the door for Widget and me to go back inside, Kitty when in, too. I just left her [and Widget] in there to [duke it out and] explore while I went back outside to see if I could interest Cocoa and Tabby in a game of catch the fishy. They've been getting ever more comfortable around me esp Cocoa (the seem to flip flop this way, so now it's Cocoa who trusts me the most) who walked so close beside me this afternoon that he actually rubbed against my pants leg on the way by.

So I sat on the bench and dangled the fishy in the air in front of me - something that never would have worked even a few short weeks ago as they would not have come close enough to play especially w/o their mother around for protection and advice. But Cocoa came right up and started playing with the little fish. Seeing Cocoa having so much fun, it wasn't long at all before Tabby joined in.

The other evening I had gone out late to feed them. I try to feed them before dark now to avoid problems with the opossum, but it was dusk before I got out there that night, and the kittens could hardly eat for chasing insects. I gather the insects they like must be most active around that time. Tabby was doing back flips on the porch trying to catch a large mosquito looking thing while Cocoa ran around the lawn chasing who knows what sort of insect. I'm a little afraid for Cocoa though. I think he might be a tad slow, and i watched him run back and forth across the street after insects (something he apparently only does at dusk, thank goodness). There were no cars going by at the time, but he seemed more interested in insects than cars which worried me.

Anyhow, watching them chasing bugs gave me the idea that they might like the fish on the string. OMG! Did They ever! They jumped for it over their heads, chased it in large circles around the porch, and thrashed it mercilessly when caught. They played with it as long as I would stay out there dangling the thing. At one point Cocoa was rolling around on the walkway 'killing' the fish while Kitty was trying to catch the stretchy cord I was tugging on to make the fish more real (and try to get it back from Cocoa) and Tabby was trying to find a way to get in on the game. Cocoa was lying on his side playing with the caught fish so close to my foot I had to be careful not to step on him. Then he rolled over (with his fish) such that he landed on the instep of my shoe - and he kept right on playing with the fish.

Seeing them chase the fish around the porch, I just know they will LOVE one of those laser pointers. I need to find that thing.

We played and played. The kittens played so long and so hard they 'broke' the fish twice. Once they managed to work the knot loose, so I had to tie the fish back on. Later in the midst of all of the action they managed to unscrew the fishing pole while chasing it in circles, so I had to stop to screw the pole back together. Finally, I came back inside. Kitty had gone in and out a few times by then but was inside at the time. Then she started playing with the fish. Outside she only batted at the string a time or two but inside she played with it seriously. For a while I couldn't move it fast enough to challenge her. Every time I started a game, no matter how hard I tried to be alert and move it fast (which worked with the youngsters), she would just yawn and reach out with one hand and catch it every time. I had to really work at it to be able to yank it fast enough to beat her even occasionally.

That's when we discovered that she likes to play on the stairs. Once she got started playing she ran up the stairs and started playing. She likes to lie on a [carpet covered] step and fight with the carpet on the vertical part of the stair beneath her. She would do that for a few minutes and then get a wild hair and run up or down a few steps and lie down again attacking the vertical portion under that step and so on and so on. She was really getting in that very excited play mode, really getting into it. I've never seen her let go and play that way before. She played on the stairs for quite a while.

Then when she came down to one of the lower stairs, I 'slung' the fish over there while still sitting in the foyer where I had been. The fish went back and forth between us like a pendulum with Kitty trying to grab it each time it went over to her. When she got a hold of it, she held on. Unlike with the kittens, there was no getting that thing back from her. She seemed to enjoy holding on to it, biting it, and such while I alternated between tugging and releasing, trying to emulate a prey item wrestling to get free.

So, we had a blast. The fish is big hit, and I can't wait to try the laser pointer. I tossed the ball of yarn out there with the kittens. Tabby was thrashing it when I let Kitty out and came to bed.

Those kittens sure are playful for feral cats!

I didn't mention this yet, but lately Cocoa has been acting like he wants to come inside, too. I've not done anything to encourage that. I guess he just sees Kitty come in. Obviously, he can see her sitting at the door waiting and hoping to get in and see that nothing bad happens to her.

Sometimes I sit against the door (on the inside) to play with Widget in the foyer. Since Kitty came to live with us, I started sometimes reaching behind me and cracking the door a few inches (she's a narrow one) to let Kitty in. It seemed like she was always on the other side of the door waiting, so all I had to do was crack the door and in she would come.

In the past week though Kitty has stopped sleeping at the door. The kittens still sleep there and she sleeps somewhere else. One night last week I was sitting in the foyer throwing the ball down the hall for Widget. I reached behind me like I always do and cracked the door, but Kitty didn't come in. I called her, "Kitty, Kitty" but she still didn't come in. Remember now, I had my back to the door and could not see what was going on outside.

Finally, I turned around and peaked through the narrow gap in the door and was shocked to find Cocoa peaking back at me his little nose right up against the crack in the door. That's not the only time I've caught him 'sneaking' around checking out the door looking like he might want to come in. I'm not encouraging that, however, since I have no way of getting him out again. I would surely be exhausted if I had to chase him round and round the house up and down the stairs trying to get him out.

Edited to add that I was just very surprised that Cocoa who is supposed to be feral would have ANY interest in coming inside - period, at all.

This message was edited Apr 5, 2010 5:34 AM

And another thing...

Kitty has already 'helped' Widget even though he may not know it. From the time he a little puppy, Widget has always been terrified of the stairs. He could climb up the stairs but could not figure out how to get down safely. One day years ago he went up there while I was at work. When he got up there he was so terrified he hid in the farthest bedroom all day. (When you walk along the 'hall' up there you can see down to the 1st floor from one side the entire length of the 'hall' and on both sides about 1/2 of the way. This apparently scared him so much he wouldn't come out of the far bedroom - as far as possible from the area where you can see all the way down to the 1st floor.

When I got home that day, I couldn't find Widget and couldn't figure out what might have happened to him. Then as I called and called I heard a tiny little whimper upstairs. Even when I ran up there for him, it took me a while to find him because he would not come out from under the bed in the far bedroom. He was so afraid of the stairs he didn't even want me to hold him and take him down. After that, he wouldn't go up there anymore.

Tonight, as I mentioned, I left him and Kitty inside while I went out to play with the kittens. When I went back inside they were running up and down the stairs - both of them. (This is not good news for me. I rather liked having Widget 'stuck' on the 1st floor w/o a gate or anything.) Now he has figured out that he can maneuver the stairs. Kitty helped him get over his fear - even if only because he was determined not to let her get the best of him. She could run up the stairs to get away from him. He had to get past his fears to go, too. I'm not happy that he can now go up and down stairs, but am glad that he conquered one of his fears. Widget has lots of fears. Maybe Kitty with her quiet confidence will be able to help him get over other fears as well.

Sounds like a great time was had by all, Cheryl; what a great start to any day!

Ruth,

I do think Kitty has her mind set on moving in. She's working on me. She's pretty good. I didn't want a cat to start with. She'll probably win this one, too.

That said, the one thing she's probably not worried about outside is being cold. It's hot here already. Night temps are wonderful, mid to upper 60's. Day temps are in the mid to upper 80's - and it's barely April. She's more likely thinking, "I want to live in the house where it's nice and cool."

Hi Ruth,

We cross posted, but, yes, it was a great way to start the day. I really enjoyed playing with the kittens. They are so animated, and it was nice to have a chance to bond with them a bit - even though, as you know, they are not mine. Then to come back inside and have Kitty drop her guard and play so freely was just the topping on a wonderful morning. I look forward to playing with the kittens again soon. Who knows maybe playing will help them with their fear of humans.

I know your area doesn't get that cold, Cheryl, but the summers sound long and brutal; who wouldn't prefer AC? And yes, playing with people can only help the boys with their fear of people...or at least of you.

I finally got the laser light(from Pet Smart)and Puddy just loves that thing. She has began to think it is our morning ritual. This one is a cheap one and for some reason it just quits. I think it is the way the battery lays inside,frustrating but by that time I am ready to quit. Puddy Tat is still in high gear though. She chases the light through the house and I don't even have to move for her to get her exercise. I can just see you standing in place and throwing the light up and down the stairs with Kitty in full chase.

I find the relationship between Heidi,the crew and you just amazing. You have learned so much and in turn have taught all of us so much about the life and times of racoons. I would not have dared gotten near those in my woods(though I never have gotten as comfortable as you)if I hadn't been following your threads. As a result I may have,if nothing else,helped some to survive in our little woods surrounded by homes. There may be four acres streached longways and only under an acre deep out there with a drainage ditch running longways and homes and roads surrounding. Many thanks from the wildlife here and myself.

office supply stores would have laser pointers too.
we have a few. between DH and the kids and Buddy and Charlie... we've got a lot of 'toys'.

You might want to investigate the possible health effects of lasers on pets. I know they're concerned about its effects on human eyes. Personally, I'd just avoid even a remote possibility that it might be a danger to a pet.

Linda I wondered also about that but the only time Puddy looks up is when the laser goes out on me. Its like shes saying"what the heck,where did it go?" I am very careful the light is never in her eye,just the floor or wall or wherever. I don't think the light point itself is supose to be harmful,could be wrong but thats what I have heard. It can be harmful looking directly at the light source. I will check up further on the concerns,thanks for the warning.

Please bell the cat. cats are the #1killer of songbirds in the US. The fear of a cat hanging onself by it's collariis very far reemoved from the law of probability. Cts jump far andd wide from most things, using their whiskers to judge the required width for the head to clear. the chance of getting caught by the neck is really quite remote, not entirely impossible, but nonthe less, extreemly unlikely. A bell might well save hundreds of birds including young fledglings each year alone. I have know many collard cats and never hear of a single one being strangled by it's collar.
Thanks for showing that possum adolescent . They are very sweet in my book of favorite critters ^_^

Hi Sheri,

I must apologize. Seeing your post reminded me that I failed to respond to your earlier post. I took a break while doing responses. Yours was next. Sorry, but I forgot to finish after my break.

Your Cocoa sounded like a sweetie. I would be thrilled if Kitty would curl up in my lap even if only when she felt like it. Maybe when she is able to spend more time inside. Right now the best I can hope for seems to be petting her when she is sitting near me.

I need to remember to get a collar for her. I don't have a collar that small - or a bell. I do plan to put a breakaway type collar on her with her rabies tag. That alone should jingle and clang when she walks. I can hear Widget coming because his tag does so. I'm still thinking about the bell.

By law, outdoor [pet] cats are required to wear a collar w/rabies tag. Since Kitty spent so many months running around the neighborhood when she was a homeless stray, I think a collar is important now to let people she comes in contact with know that she has been claimed and now has a home. Otherwise, as she becomes more and more friendly someone down the street who knows nothing about me, may adopt her and take her into their house.

I do know about the problem of cats killing birds and that does concern me. The Audubon Society screams loudly about this. They are mostly concerned about endangered bird species though, which makes sense. I checked and there are no endangered birds in the area. Some birds, unfortunately, will die from predation. It's just a fact of life, part of the cycle of life.

A few years ago I watched a Cardinal build her nest one Sunday morning. Despite all of the fur and hair and such that I had put out for bird's nests that year, she flew back and forth to the compost pile where she picked out the perfect twigs, leaves, and strands of pine straw along with some shredded paper. When I built the open compost pile back there to accommodate large amounts of plant material and shredded paper it hadn't occurred to me that I might be providing nest building supplies.

Anyhow, I watched her on her nest almost daily. I changed my garden routines to give her more privacy. During her brief breaks I photographed the nest and later the eggs. There were 3. I photographed the eggs as they 'grew'. I kept an eye out to be sure no cowbird had deposited impostor eggs for her to raise. I celebrated with her and the father the day the eggs hatched and photographed the baby birds while she was out stretching her wings for a moment. Then one day I came out to find her out their raising heck. The baby birds were all gone, and she was beside herself with grief. A few weeks later when she got over her grief, she started a new nest in a rose thicket on the other side of the yard where she lay another clutch of eggs. (I've ruined the plot now, but here is the link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/584917)

There was no cat around at the time. I looked around the nest for some indication of what had happened to the chicks - I too was heart broken at the loss of the baby birds I had come to think of as my own. Nothing was out of place. The nest was unharmed. There was no sign of struggle, not even a single feather - ok, the chicks didn't have much in the way of feathers then, but there wasn't so much as a broken twig in the area around the nest. Ultimately, we concluded that a snake had probably eaten the chicks. Ironically, the snakes were hanging around back then because they were drawn to the rats who had been attracted by the bird seed. A cat or two might have kept the rats away and thus the snakes. Who knows.

Another year a morning dove was nesting in a tree near the front door. One day I came home to find her dead on the ground beside the tree. The eggs were gone. I have no idea what killed her but there again, there were no cats around at the time - and a cat would surely have eaten the mother bird, too (I think).

According to a site run by the US gov, raccoons are the chief predator of cardinals followed by snakes. It's just part of life. I know, I know the argument about how cats are not a natural part of the environment here. Neither are [brown] rats or, for that matter, most of the plants and trees which have become associated with this part of the country.

Bottom line, even if I put a bell on Kitty, I won't be able to put one on either Cocoa or Tabby. While Kitty probably has more skill in catching prey, the kittens are younger and more inclined to enjoy the chase. Now that she is well fed, Kitty may be less likely to hunt. The kittens, on the other hand, are just itching for something to stalk just for the fun of it. And then there's Tom, the old male stray who lives in the area. Tom is a survivor. He has probably been on his own for his entire life. I'm sure he knows how to hunt and likely does so a lot.

With this new TNR program, the city has sanctioned outdoor cats. Given the numbers of hungry strays out there, putting a bell on Kitty isn't likely to effect the situation very much. I love songbirds, but ultimately I'm afraid if birds are to make it they will have to find a way to survive with cats as I don't see much likelihood of cats going anywhere. Heck, in a few more decades we may well have pythons and anacondas living here. Eeek!

I had a nest of baby bunnies ... could have only been a week old if that... a cat came and took them.
I know which cat it is. Not sure if it is a stray or not, but there is no collar.

as for birds... I watched a Coopers Hawk the other day... i probably watched him for an hour... he was watching all the birds... after i read that they eat other birds, i could see why the squirrel was only 10 feet away and didn't seem bothered by it.

He finally got himself some lunch... glad to see it was a House Sparrow and not one of the Cardinals that hang out back there.

Birdie Blue, I agree it would be best to have at least Kitty collared and belled. I have had eight cats, and have had all of them in collars at one stage or another. My current cats wear collars with bells so that my husband, who is visually impaired, can know where they are and keep them inside.

Yet, three of my eight cats also on more than one occasion caught a leg all the way through the collar, and two of them got it caught in their jaw for I don't know how long. I removed the collars from those specific cats because of the chance of injury. I've also found collars without kitties in various places...don't know how that happened, but it did...and I do know how to adjust them! I agree that the risk may be less for hanging by the collar, but they are not the only risks. Even a properly adjusted collar can be a danger and I just want to suggest that the collar should be carefully chosen and fitted properly, and preferably while the kitty is indoors and supervised, to get used to it. An older cat that has not been collared in the past may need some adjustment time.

I'm not trying to be argumentative...just to suggest that there is a good way to do it. :-)

>>caught in their jaw for I don't know how long. I removed the collars from those specific cats because of the chance of injury.

this happened to Charlie. Since he is our first cat, we are still learning... DH got him a nice collar and one day we hard all this thrashing around and screaming from him... i honestly thought the dog had him... but he was in the powder room bashing into the walls with the collar wedged in his mouth.... HD got him a harness ... but little man is an indoor cat, but is allowed outside supervised. In Wisc we have 2 trolly/leash systems so he can be outside and be by himself.

I hope I didn't sound argumentative about the collar and bell issue. I was planning to do this - put a collar and bell on Kitty - but after reading some of your comments, I'm wondering now if its such a good idea given that she is outdoors a lot. Plus right now she and I are still working out trust issues. If she has never worn a collar before she may not appreciate it very much and trying to put one on her this early in our relationship may be harmful to the relationship. Not to mention the possibility for injury (esp after reading some of your posts above).

Anyhow, I wasn't trying to be difficult. I love birds, too. I'm currently not feeding the birds (because of issues with rats, snakes, and raccoons), but it was very difficult for me to make that decision. I'm just trying to be realistic.

Shortly after dark tonight Widget and I went for a short walk down the block. I though I heard sounds behind us. I just figured it was Kitty as she often accompanies us on our walks. I kept waiting for her to catch up with us and even pass us. When walking with us she follows a while then goes up a head a bit where she lies down on the sidewalk to wait for us to catch up before repeating the process. This time, however, she never showed up beside and in front of us.

A few blocks down the street when we turned around to return home, I was shocked at what I saw. We were, in fact, being followed by a cat, but it was not Kitty. It was Cocoa! I couldn't believe it. There he was walking down the middle of the sidewalk about 15ft behind us. When we turned around, he stopped for a moment on the sidewalk before running part way up a palm tree that was beside him. He stopped about 5ft up the trunk when I spoke to him. I think he was probably scared of Widget when we turned around to face him that way because Widget likes to chase the kittens. When I'm paying attention, I don't let him do so on leash, but I use one of those retractable leashes that makes it possible for him to run a distance before the leash catches him (when I'm not paying attention to stop him).

I was shocked that Cocoa would follow us that way. I'm still shocked. Once we all got turned around Cocoa got back on the sidewalk and followed us back home, too. About 1/2 way we found Tabby who had followed that far and stopped. Tabby may have been following Cocoa though, but clearly Cocoa was following us.

When we got home again, I found out why Kitty didn't go with us. She was in the house having slipped in when we were going out. I let Kitty stay inside for a while. She stayed upstairs for some time even while I was in the kitchen making a ham and cheese sandwich and while I was eating. Later when I went into the foyer I found her playing in quite animated fashion on the stairs.

At one point after dark I went out with the fishy to play. As soon as Cocoa saw me approaching with the fishy he came rushing to me eager to play. This time after playing for a while, I moved the game to my feet, dangling the fishy there rather than off the side of the bench. The two kittens had no problems with playing there at my feet. They were very much enthralled in the game.

We played a super high energy game that had the kittens running, jumping, practically sailing through the air at times and doing high, vertical back flips in the air. We played until the most energetic of them (Tabby) was lying on his side too tired to get up and still trying to grab the fish when it went by.

Believe it or not, Kitty shows signs of being jealous of my attention when I play with the kittens this way. She will keep coming over to me. Then she'll get annoyed because I'm too busy playing with them to pay much attention to her. She'll leave us and go sit and the far end of the driveway for a while. She'll come back and ask to go inside. Then she'll repeat the process. You can just see that she is annoyed, her tail flipping this way and that. Sometimes she'll even start an actual fight with Tabby once she gets sufficiently annoyed. She wants me to come inside and let her in where it's just us - and Widget, but he doesn't occupy my time that way when she is inside. Animals are so interesting - in part because they are so much like people.

Heidi really is surprising me. She (and most of the raccoons) will normally avoid anything new in the environment for a while, sort of a probationary period to be sure the new object isn't dangerous. When I turned on the patio light tonight I found the Lt standing at the door and Heidi resting under the [step] ladder (which I, of course, had left out there still outstretched). Apparently she has adopted the ladder as some kind of temporary shelter while waiting for me. (Tomorrow, I will make sure to put it away in the garage again where it belongs, however.)

Tonight was uneventful except that there were some 8 of them out there, all yearlings except for Heidi and the one other adult. We seem to have permanently picked up a bunch of new diners the other night when I went out so late. Now those new diners are showing up every day and at the earlier/regular feeding time. This is really too large a crowd esp once the kits arrive. Heidi doesn't like so much activity around her babies, esp a bunch of rowdy youngsters such as these.

Heidi, the Lt, and the other adult stand still and eat their cat food. The others are all over the place trying to get treats and such - even though I'm very stingy with treats this year. Still they spend more time running around the area trying to finagle treats instead of actually eating. The good news is all these extras don't consume a lot of cat food.

Ruth,

You may be closer to the truth than you know. LOL.

After writing my last post I realized I had forgotten to take out the trash for early morning pick-up. While emptying all trash receptacles, I decided to go upstairs and check the litter box. Kitty had been going up there a lot. Thinking she might be looking for her old litter box, I went up there a few days ago and opened the bathroom door to allow access to the room. So now I needed to check the box before taking out the trash. On the way through the foyer, I peaked out the window and, seeing Kitty waiting at the crack of the door, opened it to let her in before heading up the stairs.

At times I had even begun to question whether she was just coming in to access the litter box. Sometimes she would come in and head straight upstairs as though on a mission - but, no, that would be silly. Right? An outside cat wouldn't "knock" at the door and come in to use the potty, would she? But sure enough the box held surprises, at least 3 of them - and all nicely covered.

I had just finished the litter box cleanup when Kitty appeared beside me. "Maid service," I said, and just like that she hopped in the newly cleaned box, dug a hole (something she hadn't been doing before), and started 'work'. I waited to re-clean the box and then went downstairs to take out the trash leaving Kitty inside. When I returned a minute or so later, she was ready to go out.

It sure seemed as though she had come inside just to use the potty. In fact, when I looked out the door again she was no where to be found. ???

I keep forgetting to take that darned camera out with me. Tonight I really wished I'd had it. There were a few old yogurts in the fridge. I had been taking one out each night and giving it to a different yearling. Tonight's giftee was about 2/3 through when another yearling who could wait no longer, sat down close against the her flanks, back to flanks, one standing and eating yogurt, the other sitting upright.

OMG! The Steal! I literally chuckled out loud at the sight of them. My 1st "Steal" of the new season, and it never ever gets old. It's just the cutest thing to behold.

About that time, the one sitting upright began to scrunch backwards, wiggling her hips side to side as if to brush the other aside on her way back. I laughed again. I was so glad I had not missed this one of life's adorable little secrets.

Then apparently too impatient to see the plan through, the yearling who had been trying to execute The Steal, suddenly swung around, reached out, and grabbed the yogurt cup. This Steal thing was taking way too long, and that yogurt cup wasn't getting any 'fuller', so she the more complex method and just took the thing. That worked.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy The Steal. I wish each of you could see it once. It's a Hoot. You can't ever look at raccoons the same again after that.

Thank you, Judy!

And I'm sure the raccoons in your area thank you, too.

I don't recommend that others do what I do. It's not for everyone. There are always dangers - in everything. In recent years I've come to realize that Heidi is a bigger part of my raccoon experience than I ever knew. She isn't just the one who started it. She may well be the only thing that makes it possible at all. I'm not sure if subsequent generations will continue to interact with me when she is no longer with us. Time alone will tell.

In a much earlier thread I was so excited to tell everyone what i had learned, that raccoons, even wild raccoons, are so amazingly gentle when taking food from your hand. At the time, that was my reality, and I wanted to share it with the world. It took me another year or so to learn that what this gentleness I had attributed to all raccoons was actually a characteristic of Heidi and, through her teaching, her kits. I have since learned that some raccoons, as described in an earlier thread, will snatch things from me. They don't try to hurt me, but unlike Heidi and her kits, some are less careful to be sure they don't.

Everyone must decide for themselves the extent to which they wish to interact - or not. Maybe for some that means just putting out food and watching from a distance. For others it may mean deciding not to offer food at all but to enjoy raccoons vicariously through our stories. Still others may choose to get a little closer. To each his own.

I'm glad that you are enjoying your interactions with the raccoons in your area. When I started these threads and this journey I didn't realize the potential power of my words to effect change one person at a time. It's an amazing quality of the web, that everyone now has the opportunity to reach a vast 'audience'. With this new power comes much responsibility. Learning how things I say online may effect others has been an eye-opener for me.

largosmom & Terese,

Thank you both for warning me about the potential dangers of the collar. After reading your accounts and your warnings, I think I will wait a bit before even trying to collar Kitty. As mentioned, she still has trust issues, so I would prefer not to do anything to adversely effect the trust we have established. I'm hoping with time her confidence in me will grow stronger. When I do get ready to try a collar I will take your advice to choose carefully and keep her inside until I know how she reacts to it. I believe Ruth recommended a specific collar. I need to go back and mark that info for future reference.

Too funny that Kitty is coming inside specifically to use the litter box; clearly she doesn't enjoy the "outhouse" life, and who can blame her? At least she's learned/remembered to cover, which should help with the odor problem that was troublesome for you. And I'm not too surprised that she's jealous of your interactions with the boys. After all, if you hadn't stepped in and gotten everyone trapped and altered, Kitty would be pregnant again by now, and the boys would long since have been kicked out of the nest. She may be willing to continue tolerating them now that hormones are no longer an issue, but that doesn't mean she wants to share the nifty human and house with the overgrown kids.

Linda,

Somewhere around here I have a laser toy marketed specifically for playing with cats. On the package it cautions against shining the light directly into their eyes. Since cats get so focused on the spot of light on the ground/floor, they don't tend to look at the laser, but I will be careful about this. The spot of light on the ground is not harmful for them any more than the spot is for us when used in a presentation.

Coming out of the laser it is focused to a fine beam where, like the thin edge of a knife blade, it has the power to cut (or burn). Once it hits a surface like the floor, the beam spreads out enough to no longer be dangerous. The beam at the laser is to the spot on the floor like a sharp knife edge is to one that has been hammered too dull to cut anything. Both come from the same origin, but while in both cases the 1st one is 'sharp' and dangerous, the 2nd is 'dull'. Actually, the spot on the floor is more like the knife blade if it were hammered out and reshaped into a bracelet. Same metal but no longer dangerous.

Thanks for calling this to our attention though. It's always important to consider safety.

LOL, Ruth,

You do have a way with words. ;-)

Kitty doesn't interact with the kids much anymore. She seems to go out of her way to avoid being a family now. She sleeps elsewhere (as mentioned before). She often sits off a ways from them. She still eats with them, but I think it's more like the way adult cats eat together if they live with the same family and as long as there is enough food available so they have no need to fight over it.

Sometimes, like the other day when I served that salmon, she will let them no in no uncertain terms to "back off".

A little while ago when I opened the door to let Kitty out, Cocoa was trying to come in. I actually had to push him back a bit with the door this time. That's the farthest he has come to date, but he has been showing an interest in coming inside - as if to see what Kitty finds so magical in here.

One last bit of minutia - and later today I will change threads:

As I've mentioned before, Kitty often waits at the back door in the mornings so she can come in when I let Widget out/in. Then she and I walk through the house to the front door where I put out food for her.

Two days ago, when I put Widget out, Kitty was waiting on the patio as usual, but then she did the oddest thing. When I called her to come inside and go with me for her breakfast, she turned her head the other way as cats will do when intentionally ignoring us. I called her again. Again she refused to come inside. "Ok then," I said closing the door. A few minutes later when Widget had finished his business, I opened the door and both he and Kitty came in together. I scratched my head at her odd behavior. Had she actually chosen to stay outside to wait for Widget?

This morning I let Widget out as usual but didn't see Kitty out there. When I got to the front door with her food, she was there waiting for me. A few minutes later when I went to the back door to let Widget back in, he wasn't sitting on the facing board like he normally does. He was standing 1/2 way across the patio and looking back across the yard. I opened the door and called him, but he didn't come in. He just stood there looking about the yard.

This was odd behavior for Widget who doesn't really like the outdoors much, but whatever. Rather than hold the door waiting for him, I started to close it figuring I'd come back later when he was ready. When he saw me starting to close the door, Widget took a few steps toward the door only to stop again as soon as I stopped closing the door. Again, he looked around the yard behind him. If I hadn't known better, I would have sworn he was looking for his old 'friend' Kitty, holding the door to wait for her even. But that would be silly of me, right? Tired of holding the door open, I commanded him to get inside, and he did so reluctantly, still looking over his shoulder around the yard.

Is it possible? Could they be starting to bond?

Yes, it's possible, however unlikely it may sound. Kitty has stood up to Widget's bluff attacks, let him know she's not impressed, been in his house without threatening his relationship with his mommy, and shown him how to conquer scary things like stairs. Dogs naturally respect and look for leaders in their lives; and from his point of view, Kitty must look like a pretty good leader. And from there, it's a very short step to beginning to bond. Congratulations; another big hurdle overcome...

I do so love your tales of activity and interactions between all the members of your home and yard klan!
Thank you once again, Cheryl.

It surely sounds like Widget will soon have company when you are not home! Kitty probably needs companionship too...just not annoying kittens!

Laura

Thank you, Sheri!

It's good to have all of you here to share the story.

Laura,

It sure would be great if they would learn to be friends that way.

Ruth,

Here's hoping you are right. I makes sense when put that way.

Ok, here at last is our new thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1086126/

P.S. And it come with what may be good news. Shhh!

TGIF!! Maybe Heidi will come to dinner tonite a slimmer hungry new momma.
Hope you are feeling great and have a wonderful weekend Cheryl!!

Sheri

Sheri, there's a new thread; look for new link in the post above yours and join us there!
Ruth