This is the ongoing saga of Heidi and friends, raccoons and the occasional opossum that frequent my backyard buffet. Come and join us, won't you, as we observe the dinner antics of Heidi and the gang.
Prior Thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1082307/
Original Thread in Series: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/603944/
The photo below is of Heidi who is looking pretty huge these days - or as one of our members says 'is wearing her apron very low'.
Last night I was about an hour late getting out to the buffet, so that may have effected things. Heidi may have come and gone already, but that seems most unlikely since the Lt was waiting at the patio door like normal when I turned on the light. I didn't see any sign of Heidi, but I just figured she was out there somewhere.
As I headed out the door, I still saw only the Lt. No sign of Heidi. I spoke to the Lt as she headed off the side of the patio on her way to the buffet. She stopped and looked back at me for a moment as if to understand what I was saying before continuing to scurry away. There was still no sign of Heidi. This was most unusual.
At the buffet the Lt was a little skittish w/o Heidi around but she took her usual spot near me, and I served her food. I heard movement in the edge of the forest and thought perhaps Heidi was over there and would join us momentarily. In short order a total of 6 yearlings joined us, but Heidi never showed up.
It's possible, of course, that Heidi had just moved on because I was so late, but as the Lt was there, this seems an unlikely explanation. I'm thinking Heidi's babies were probably born tonight. If I'm right we may not see her for a day or so. Time will tell.
I worry a little about Heidi at times like this. She is getting on in years, you know, and giving birth is a strain on the system even in the best of circumstances. In recent years she has returned after giving birth looking worse each successive year. Last year it was almost a week before she returned and when she did so, she looked awful.
If she is out there somewhere giving birth to the 2010 litter, please say a little prayer for her healthy return and/or keep her in your thoughts.
Given Heidi's vast girth in recent photos, you may well be right about tonight's absence. I wish her litter size would drop as it usually does with older animals to lessen the strain on her, but Heidi seems determined to give it her all every time. We'll all be keeping fingers and toes crossed, sending her good thoughts and hoping for her safe return. Make sure you have lots of healthy treats and eggs awaiting her return; she'll need them!
it is April too... so the timing is about right. I will be sending good vibes down in your direction that she makes it back safely.
Wouldnt it be nice if she could literally understand you... and you could make a nice home/nest in your yard for her and her babies.
With that bond you have with Heidi, it's understandable you would worry about her. I will keep her in my prayers until you know she is okay. I've thought about her strong personality that makes her able to keep her offspring more or less under control. Not all have that, that's for sure. With the last family of raccoons I fed, the mother was not assertive and as the little ones got bigger, she couldn't control them. In fact, I think she became fearful of the three young males, who were very aggressive and their behavior was way out of control. Eventually, I had to get those three in pet carriers and relocate them in the fall. It was really getting too much for me having them around. The mother and the female went away after that. I haven't fed any raccoons since...at least, not on purpose!
Ruth,
I, too, have been wishing for Heidi to start having smaller litters. I thought the norm was for them to start out with small litters of 1 or 2 in the beginning, build to large litters for the peak reproductive years and then start to fall off again in later years. By that description, I would expect Heidi's litter size to be getting smaller now.
I recall a few years ago when she only had 3 kits the one year. I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I felt glad (thinking that signaled the beginning of smaller litters for her) in that smaller litters would be easier on her body and would also be better for the kits as there would be less risk of her having smaller ones like Fraidy and Precious. On the other hand, it made me sad because it made her age a reality.
Since then she has gone back to larger litters, so I must admit that I'm confused. From her size this looked like a big litter to me. I'm guess 4 at minimum. Could it be that as "Queen" she feels compelled to produce a 'respectably' sized litter? I'd love to say maybe she really isn't as old (in effect not years) as we think, but seeing how she looked last year after giving birth makes that seem unlikely.
Edited to add:
Thanks very much for the good thoughts. All that positive energy sent her way can't hurt. I took out an egg a day for her, but she only ate one of them. The rest she let the kids take - which usually means she didn't really want it. I did get another dozen the other day and will offer her some upon her return. I think I'll also try the coconut oil to see if she might eat her cat food with a bit of that stirred in. I could try some yogurt, too.
This message was edited Apr 8, 2010 12:20 AM
Hi Terese,
Is April the month when she usually gives birth? I can never seem to remember these things. To me it seemed like she was bigger and thus farther along than I expected when I finally got out there this year.
Thanks for sending us good those good vibes.
Sometimes I think she is beginning to understand me better than I even realize. Some nights when I open the patio door she does poke her nose in and look around for a few seconds before turning to head out to the buffet. Maybe she's thinking along the same lines as you.
If I could make a home for her outside or maybe in the garage to keep her safe for her golden years it would be the absolute pinnacle in a dream come true, but even though she has come a very long way, I don't think she's likely to ever get that 'tame'. For one thing, she has never been very comfortable in the yard. Heidi tolerates the yard but never feels as safe there as in the forest.
For one thing, Heidi doesn't have the benefit of our knowledge about the reasons she is safe in the yard. She doesn't know that in the backyard the fence protects her from those large dogs she hears barking down the street. When she hears them, her instincts tell her to flee to the safety of the forest. Likewise, when she hears the neighbors outside or people going by at the street, she doesn't know that none of those people are allowed into the backyard either.
But, yes, I would love the opportunity to provide shelter, safety, and comfort to Heidi especially when she gets too old to continue to fend for herself in the wild. Heck, if that were possible, if she would agree to live in the yard, I would even hire someone to build her one of those raccoon tree houses (plans available online) so she would have a safe and cozy place to sleep out of the weather. Couldn't you just see Heidi & HRH sharing a tree house out back? : )
Linda,
Thanks for keeping Heidi in your prayers.
I think its the consistent time and attention Heidi pays to the kits from a very early age that makes her so successful in training them properly. The other moms tend to mostly ignore their kits most of the time. Then when there is a problem and they call out to the yearling to do something it ignores them.
You would have to watch Heidi to see the difference. When they are babies, Heidi brings her kits to dinner like a crossing guard. She has them all lined up and practically holding hands. She watches them like a hawk, and if anything goes wrong or makes her feel the least bit wary, she will turn the whole group around and take them home again before they ever even set foot in the yard. In contrast, the other moms come to dinner trailing a bunch of kits behind them. They aren't even paying attention to the kits, some of whom may be far behind. If a kit gets left behind or lost, it's up to the kit to save itself. The mom will be at the buffet munching on dinner.
Heidi is like that all of the time with her kits. The slightest sound, anything that causes her alarm, will cause Heidi to jump into action, round up the kits, and take them home again. When something does cause Heidi to take her kits home early, she looks like she's running a fire drill. They are just so organized. I really do think it's the way Heidi trains them so well when they are small that makes the difference.
As for your decision to stop feeding the raccoons, as I said the other night, I feel that each person must make up their own mind as to what is best for them and their wildlife. Opting not to feed them is a very valid option and may well be the best choice in some situations. Also, I know what you mean about the rowdy adolescent and young adult males making you uncomfortable. There have been some difficult moments at the buffet with hormonal young males. Even Heidi has had difficulty dealing with the young male hoodlums when they get an OD of testosterone.
Oh, almost forgot today's post:
Tonight I made sure to be on time. Once again, when I turned on the light only the Lt stood there on the patio alone.
As we were walking out, the Lt was ahead of me, "Lt!" I called out to her. I have no idea why. The Lt stopped in her tracks, and turned around to look at me almost as though she knew her name and understood that I was talking to her. She sat there for a minute or so looking at me and waiting and then headed on her way.
At the buffet, there was once again no sign of Heidi. At 1st only the Lt and 2 other yearlings were there. Later another and finally a 5th yearling joined us - still no Heidi. I think it is official now. Heidi is having her babies.
Last year I tagged the day when Heidi went missing (to have her kits). Looks like she left on Apr 24 last year, so she is running a little ahead of last year's schedule but still in April.
Cheryl, it is normal for the litter size to decrease in older females of most species; why this hasn't been true for Heidi is less clear. It is pretty clear from observation of many species that ability to reproduce has a lot to do with social hierarchy - once a female stops breeding, she tends to lose her role as dominant female - but litter size seems much less important or entirely unimportant to dominance. I've often wondered if the great diet at the buffet encourages her body to continue carrying full size litters But given how worn out she looks every year after delivery, you'd think her body would take the hint and resorb a fetus or two, as it normally does for older females. It's a puzzle; but like you, I confess to worrying a bit each year as her delivery time approaches, and anxiously awaiting her exhausted but successful return to the buffet.
oh... and I do recall one year it was mid-may as i was thinking it was around my son' Bday. that was either 07 or 08, as that is how long i've been on Daves.
Iposted on the wrong thread, so I will say again..
TGIF!! I hope that Heidi shows up for a post partum snack tonite. She is in my prayers, as are you Cheryl, for a wonderful weekend (pain free, too!)
Sheri ^_^
Hi Sheri!
Thanks so much for your prayers for both me and Heidi. Still no sign of the new mom yet. This is day 4 since her disappearance.
Except for last night when I skipped the buffet due to a storm, I've been on time every night, and every night the Lt has been waiting alone on the patio for me. Maybe Heidi will show up tomorrow. I keep hoping.
If memory serves, a four-day absence after delivery isn't unusual for Heidi these days. She's probably exhausted, and reluctant to leave the newborns, even briefly, when they're so completely defenseless. Hang in there, and keep looking for her over the weekend; crossing fingers and toes that she'll return soon, worn but carrying on as she always does.
Hi Ruth,
No, 4 days isn't excessively long for her. Because I always find myself wondering about such things - when does she usually have them, how long is she gone, etc - last year I tagged her comings and goings. That year she was gone longer than on any of the prior years, a full week. She was last seen at the buffet on Apr 24 and showed up again at the patio door looking very rough on May 1. By that schedule, I figure she will not be officially late until [after] Monday night.
While I was checking the dates, I took a minute to read my account of her condition upon return last year. I really brought back memories of just how awful she looked. Even though I am currently trying to avoid all unnecessary expenses (such that I myself am finally 'forced' to eat all the stuff from the freezer and pantry that I don't like - but which is quite nourishing, nonetheless), I'm greatly tempted to pick up a small bag of kitten food while out today. If she looks as bad as she did last year, she will need solid nutrition to replace the lost protein, calcium, and other things her body has lost to the kits. I have eggs and coconut oil, but Heidi can be very picky about her diet. She may or may not be willing to eat those things, but she will always eat kitten food.
Kitten food would certainly help Heidi when she returns, Cheryl, but don't impose undue hardship on yourself when times are rough. Yes, Heidi is surely picky; but she is also profoundly practical, and I suspect she'd eat nutritious items that aren't her first choice if first choices aren't on the menu. You can always pick up a giant size store brand of plain yogurt instead of the kitten food; it's inexpensive and our animals eat it every day for the calcium and digestive benefits. It may not be the premium fruit-flavored yogurt she prefers, but the health benefits are the same and the cost much much lower.
Good to know how long she was gone last year; I won't start worrying until Tuesday at the earliest, lol.
Aw,I leave Monday for Illinois. Moms 84th birthday! No internet at her place so I will miss the arrivial of Heidi back to the buffet. Hey, I think my brother has a laptop with a wireless adapter. Maybe I could get him to bring it over to Moms so I could check in! Keeping up with Heidi and you Cheryl is the only part of not having a internet connection that would bother me! I would hate to have to cut my visit short........and having to tell mom the reason wouldn't go over so well,but heck you gotta do what you gotta do! Really though I will try to check in one way or the other. Maybe Heidi will come in Sunday night. Even though I have to get up early Monday to leave I will check in before I hit the sack!
Hi Ruth,
I sure wish I had checked DG again before I left this morning. I did pick up a small bag of kitten food. The Universe was smiling on me today. I found IAMS kitten food, small bag, at a giveaway price. The store had a torn bag, perfectly good, taped shut, looks fine, but they couldn't sell at anything approaching normal price. I got it for $3. It was cheaper than the store brand. I walked away feeling very thrifty.
I wish I had read your post 1st though because I didn't even think about yogurt. Otherwise, I would have picked up one of those large containers of store brand yogurt. Unlike the others, Heidi may be more inclined to eat plain yogurt over the sweetened stuff. Also, I have a number of jelly packets and containers of syrup that I saved over the year from fast food breakfasts. I could stir that in the plain yogurt to jazz it up. I need to clean out the fridge. There may be another yogurt in there somewhere.
Sometimes Heidi will eat yogurt, wants it even, and other times she won't have anything to do with it. Same with eggs. About the only thing Heidi will eat dependably is catdog food - and peanuts. She will almost always eat peanuts. Oh, and, of course, watermelon, although I think she only eats watermelon when she isn't pregnant/nursing, (but (sigh) there will be no watermelon this year until things change financially). With Heidi everything else is iffy.
As to hardship, I really do have to pinch pennies right now, but not to worry, I probably have a year's supply of food in the freezer and pantry. I really needed to use that stuff anyhow. A lot of it isn't the 'fun' food I want, but it's good, healthy food - and every now and then I find some lost 'junk food' in the back somewhere, so I'm doing fine. I also have a good supply of most of the non-food necessities on hand.
OMG! This just in. Kitty is in here right now. I heard some 'wrestling' sounds just now as I was typing. I looked up to see Widget and Kitty playing!!! OMG! This is fabulous! Widget has way too much energy for me. He never gets enough walking, playing, etc to drain all that energy, and I end up feeling guilty and wishing he had a playmate. This is fabulous. They were actually playing, not fighting. Yay!
Hi Judy,
It is such a wonderful compliment to hear that keeping up with the Heidi story means that much to you. I can relate in a sense, because I feel a similar need to keep in touch with all of you. I check DG 1st thing each morning, often before I get out of the bed and while poor Widget is standing around with his little legs crossed trying to tell me that he needs to go outside and thinks I should be able to do that computer thing later. When DG is unavailable even for a few minutes, I'm like an addict in detox.
That said, speaking as someone whose mother died years ago, I hope that you will lavish your mom with attention on this her special day. My mom died at the young age of 59. Having been robbed of all the years I might have enjoyed with her and the many things I might have learned from her, I am envious of those of you whose moms are still living quality lives at 84. For and for all those like me who will never have this opportunity, I hope that you will focus on your mom on Monday and enjoy your time with her.
As for Heidi, Monday marks the longest time she has stayed away before while giving birth. On prior years she came back sooner, I believe, so she may well show up over the weekend. (I sure hope she will.) Then again, she could stay away longer still this year. Time alone will tell. I hope that she will come back before you leave, just so that you will have the opportunity to catch up before you leave for your trip.
If Heidi returns on Sunday, I will make sure to write my post as soon as I come back inside. I'll even try to remember to check for her earlier in the evening (or it might help if you remind me earlier that day). I normally feed them around 10PM but have seen them out there earlier a time or two. It's hard to say. On the one hand you might think she would come early both because she's hungry and to get back to the kits before it gets too late, but then again as she will probably not want to be away from them any longer than necessary, she may come at 10 since she knows that's when I normally feed them. (I'm still trying to figure out where they keep their wrist watches, but the raccoons keep very good time.)
I hope you will be able to borrow your brother's laptop. If he brings it over to your Mom's house, will you have wireless access there? Hopefully, if she doesn't have wireless at her house she will have a [nice] neighbor like mine, the one who has open wireless, the one I use occasionally when my router crashes.
Do you have a Smart Phone like a Blackberry or iPhone? There are many other types, but I don't know them all. I could access DG from my Blackberry, so if you had a web enabled phone that would be an option. The good thing about phones is they work off satellites, so you don't have to worry about wireless access.
I can SO relate to this dilemma. I can live w/o a lot of things - but if I have to go w/o internet access for any length of time, I'm just beside myself. LOL.
Good! He was probably reluctant to accept a cat as a playmate, especially when he was jealous of the attention she got, but hey, a willing playmate is hard to find sometimes! One of the kittens, the black one I call Lacey, in spite of having other kittens to play with, seems to be lonely sometimes...then she wanders off by herself and meows. Which confused me, until I realized it was a certain male cat (who looks barely grown) that she missed. He comes by sometimes to visit the kittens and plays with them. I think he's their brother from the previous litter and belongs to a neighbor but tends to wander some. Lacey seems to be especially fond of him.
Great news! So glad that Kitty won Widget over and is now his play-partner ^_^ And the deal that you got on the kitten food is wonderful! I think that some prayers were answered there.
It is funny I guess, but I would have a hard time too, if I couldn't check in on this thread regularly. I can't wait to buy your book.
Cheryl -- that is fantastic news!!!
Lil Widget has a playmate!! so very cool... he's probably thinking... now why couldnt you have gotten me a cat sooner??
Oh, this is exciting!! I do hope you're able to catch them with the camera a time or two! I'm so happy for you all--kitty is now officially 'family'!!!
I do hope Heidi shows up before I leave but it will be fun catching up on the thread when I return if I can't get on there. I just have a plain wireless phone,none of that fancy stuff. My old brain couldn't figure it all out anyway.
I will be sure to enjoy my time with Mom. I only get to see her a couple times a year if I am lucky but I have made sure the last four or 5 years to be there for her birthday. This year even my sister is coming so all four of Moms kids will be there. Quite a rare happening. We do feel blessed to have her with us still. We lost dad about 30 years ago.
That is wonderful news about Widget and Kitty playing. I thought they might eventually get going. Be careful when you walk through the house now as they might come chargeing through and trip you. That has happened to me before...well almost anyway.
Awesome news about Widget accepting Kitty as a playmate: perfect for both of them! Are you going to try letting her stay in the house while you're at work, so she can wear him out while you're gone?
Great deal on the kitten food, and the best brand available at groceries at that. You can always pick up the yogurt next time; if you're like me, there's always another trip for the item or two I somehow forgot.
Judy,
I'm sorry to report that there was no sign of Heidi last night either. I would have made sure to post earlier if she had shown up. Tonight I will post as soon as I return from feeding them to let you know either way. She really is pushing it to the limit again this year. I wish she would hurry back.
Oh, and in case I don't get another chance to tell you this before you leave, have a safe and enjoyable trip and we will see you when you return.
Linda,
Interesting that Lacey seems to miss the older brother. I sure hope you were able to get Lacey 'fixed', just in case.
Thank you so much, June!
I owe you guys such a debt of gratitude for the motivation and moral support - not to mention the thoughts and prayers.
LOL, Terese,
Yeah, he probably is thinking that. I wish you could have seen him this morning. Kitty spend most of the day inside with us yesterday, then went back outside last night - with a gentle nudge. From the moment Widget went out this morning it was clear he was looking for his new friend. I must admit that I, too, was surprised she wasn't out there. When I went back to the door to let Widget in, she still had not shown up. Instead of waiting on the facing board as he always does, he was standing at the back of the patio, oriented such as to face the yard, and clearly looking for Kitty.
When I called him, Widget didn't come inside. He just stood there looking around for Kitty and looking rather sad. I felt sorry for the little chap. He looked as though he had lost his best friend. I told him not to worry as Kitty would be back soon. I called him again. Suddenly, he heard something from one side of the yard and lit up like a kid at Christmas as he turned to look at it. It wasn't Kitty though (perhaps one of the kittens), and his disappointment was palpable. With a more insistent command, Widget finally came inside, albeit looking noticeably disappointed.
KyWoods,
Catching them with the camera may be difficult, but I will try to keep that in mind. I only saw them playing the one time yesterday and then only for a short time. Kitty doesn't play a lot, but maybe in time that, too, will change.
Shortly after I saw them playing, Kitty managed to hoodwink Widget out of his bed. You might recall that I let Kitty use Widget's bed during her post surgical recuperation upstairs. Recently, I brought it back down and put it back at the foot of the bed for Widget. He has been sleeping in it ever since.
Then yesterday while I was lying on the bed reading and Widget was resting in his little bed, Kitty hopped up on the bed with us. She went over to Widget's bed, which I guess she thinks is her bed now, and just started getting in the bed with him. Surprisd and not knowing how to respond to this behavior, Widget got out of the bed and stood there glaring at her the way one looks at someone who has had the chutzpah to do something unfathomable. His face said, "I can't believe she did that. I was sleeping in my bed and she just..."
After that he spent the rest of the afternoon trying to show me, "Look what she did. She stole my bed. Make her give it back."
"You gave it to her, " I said encouraging Widget to lie down elsewhere on the bed - and give it a rest.
Kitty curled up in that bed and slept looking for all the world like she was on a spa vacation. Every now and then, Widget would go over there and sniff her then come back and lie down by me again.
Later that day when I took him outside, Kitty went with us. When we came back inside, Widget got back in his bed. A short time later, Kitty hopped up there and got into the bed with him again. Once again, he hopped out of the bed and the whole thing repeated all over again.
When I let Kitty borrow Widget's bed I didn't consider that I was setting them up for this confusion over who actually owns the bed. It would be nice if Widget would eventually learn to stay put when Kitty climbs into bed with him. I'm thinking she would curl up beside him. Poor thing. He's just so socially clueless. Hopefully, she will teach him some social graces.
Judy,
Thanks for the tip about not tripping over the [playing] critters. Already, I find that I am constantly stumbling over Kitty. She sneaks up on me when I'm in the kitchen and thinking she is elsewhere in the house. She stands down by my feet and trips me up when I change directions suddenly. I'm afraid I may step on her if she doesn't stop that.
I think another bed is in order--maybe she would like a pink one? Poor Widget, lol.
KyWoods,
Yeah, I probably do need to get another bed. Actually Widget has another bed that one of them could use for now (wine colored). Widget doesn't like the other one as well. It's a tufted rectangular bed. The one they both like is one of those puff ball beds, the type where they lie down and shape it however they like. They can lie across it like a regular bed, or 'scoop' out the center to sink down into the it which seems to be the most popular way to use it. It's like a bean bag chair except filled with soft material not beans. That one is 'azalea'. It's a reddish pink, a dark rose pink. I don't know if I've seen any dog beds in cotton candy pink. Most of them come in neutrals and guy colors like taupe, beige, green, brown, browner, brownest, and so on.
Actually, Widget does have one other bed, a thin bed that we use to line his crate. That one is red, white, and blue.
I should hasten to point out, just so that everyone gets the 'flavor' of this problem of the 2 of them 'arguing' over the one bed...the bed they both want to sleep in is on top of the human bed, on top of the pillow top mattress and the down feather bed. So, just so we're clear, the poor, unfortunate creature who doesn't get 'the dog bed' is forced to sleep directly on top of the down comforter, down feather bed, and pillow top mattress. Oh, the torture! (LOL at animals too pampered to sleep directly on the human bed w/o a dog bed)
I wish I had been able to get a pick yesterday of Kitty curled up and nestled in the puff ball bed though. She totally looked like a celebrity resting at a spa retreat.
I got a few pics of the kittens. Here is Cocoa, you know, the 'black' one. If you look closely on his upper, back legs you can see the tabby stripe pattern embossed on his coat.
Until recently, I had only seen him in the dark and at a distance. Under those conditions he looked and photographed black. The 1st day I saw him up close in daylight I was surprised to see that he isn't black at all. As you can see, he's quite brown.
If you look closely at his left ear you can see the cut edge where they clipped it. See the thin white line along the edge? It's white because they clipped off the true edge which was covered in hair.
Wow, he's beautiful! LOL about the spoiled rotten critters on your bed
KyWoods,
I think he is a very unique color. At least, it's not a color I've seen before. Here's another pic with slightly different lighting. He also appears to have dark points like a Siamese.
Since you were 'ordering' another bed, I thought you would appreciate the humor of the situation, the fact that they need that extra bed to ensure that neither of them ever has to risk sleeping on just the 'naked' human bed with pillow top, feather bed, and down comforter again. ;-)
Cocoa has been getting closer and closer to me and acting in ways that seem to signify a loss of fear. It's almost as if he wants my attention lately. When I walk down the walkway, instead of running off the walk and out of the way, Cocoa has started walking in front of me and then lying down at my feet flipping over on his back and rubbing himself on the walkway as if he wants to be petted. He does this over and over now. It seems odd behavior for a cat that's supposed to be feral.
This afternoon when I went out, he was out there alone on the porch. When I stepped out with the food, instead of running away as the kittens normally do, he walked up to my legs and arched his back the way pet cats do when being friendly because they want food. So I bent over, reached down and petted him - and he arched his neck and back in response to my hand, pushing up against my hand like cats do when they want to be petted and are enjoying it. Until now I've only been able to pet the kittens when they were eating and they only stood still allowing me to pet them but not enjoying it.
I was so surprised by Cocoa's behavior that I set the food down and then went back in for the bag of cat treats. I stepped back out onto the tiny porch where he was eating and sat down beside him and the bowl. Still he didn't run. I called him by his name and put some treats down in front of me on the floor. As he walked up to eat them everything about his demeanor said that things had changed for him. He was no longer afraid of me. He wanted to be friends, seemed to actually understand now that being my friend would be a pleasant thing. I reached out and petted him and scratched behind his ears as he ate. Again he stopped eating and arched his neck pushing up against my hand. I really do think that one is coming around now. He actually seems to enjoy being petted and to respond to me even more than Kitty does now.
Going to check for the raccoons. Hoping to see Heidi out there. Fingers crossed.
