This is Why I Love My Cat

No dinosaurs were harmed in the making of this photo.  That mouse she's got, however, was definitely eaten.

  

I am not a "cat person."  My cat doesn't come inside, she doesn't really play with toys, she has no interest in cat nip, and yet, she is an important part of our family.

I decided to take on the cost and complication - hello vet and vacation sitter - of owning "cats" after our second summer in this house.  Not only were voles eating ALL my red cherry tomatoes - ya, they were voles, I caught one but that's another story - but, they were also starting to gnaw and chew and dig around my house.  And I was NOT interested in having a house-mouse issue.  So we "picked - up" two cats.  "Picked-up" because here in rural Oregon, practically every farm and farmer has "barn cats" that widely breed and roam.  So, we caught one from a farm, and had a farmer catch an additional one for us (Smokey).  Well...  farm kitty #1 was not the brightest (though she was super-cute).  After having them both fixed and vaccinated, Buttercup was hit by a car.  Smokey was alone for winter #1.

The next Spring, I said, "ok, we can try for another cat, a companion for Smokey."  And so, we got Pickle.  Pickle was a champ.  Friendly with the kids, even following them into the kiddie pool (or was it a kitty pool?  ha!).  But a bit too brave.  Before he was even old-enough to be fixed, he disappeared in the night.  He had taken to escaping from the safety of the outbuilding and I'm afraid he was eaten.  Possibly by an owl or hawk.  More likely by a coyote.  Smokey was again alone.

But not for long.  A neighbor wanted to pass-on an older cat, Ginger, to give her space to roam as well as make space in their suburban home for two new puppies.  I said, "sure," giving fair warning about the demise of two previous kittens.  I hoped that this cat would be wary enough to survive as well as big enough to stand up to tough Smokey.

Here it is, about to be summer again and Smokey and Ginger are still around.  I wouldn't say they are the "dynamic duo." But they are learning to abide together.  They each staked out their prospective corners of the property but have learned to co-habitate enough to report for morning roll-call.  Every morning they wait patiently at the glass door for their breakfast treat and tolerate a quick pat on the head.  

So, that is why I love my cat.  She has survived the dangers of being a "barn cat."  She reports, dutifully, every morning so I can keep tabs on her.  And, she is the most-awesome rodent-control!  I feel WAY better about having a murderous cat patrol my house than leaving piles of rodent poison out everywhere for rodents and slugs to crawl through and ingest (yes, slugs- you squish them and green rodent poison comes out, it's super-gross!).  And, even though she is very "cat" about it - everything is on her terms - she is a part of our family.