Lurking Overhead...

  Yesterday's post was all about things lurking in the shadows on my morning hikes.  One can never be too careful when out before the sun rises.  That time of day sees most critters out and about. While I am not overly worried about my wild critters, those of the two legged sort would give me the jitters if I ever came across one.  Nowadays, people are scary!  I am thankful that I live down on the Bayou and not up near the main road.  Sometimes, swampy areas are a blessing.

  This morning, it was not a critter lurking in the palmettos or marsh that gave me cause for concern.  Just before the sun came up over the pines on the opposite side of the Bayou, I heard something on the rooftop!  What was creepy-crawling around up there?  Easing my way out the back door, I soon found my answer.  Two large, green eyes peered through the darkness at me.  Silly cat!  How did you get up there?  Ms. Nycto was stranded atop the house!  Earlier, I had heard a ruckus near the front door and figured there was some cat fight about to happen.  It never did and, obviously, it was because Ms. Nycto did a fancy escape.  She had climbed the oak tree next to the house, made the leap to the roof but then had no idea how to get down.  She is notorious for that.  More than once, we have had to come to her rescue.  This cat is not a fighter...nor very agile about climbing (at least, climbing down!).  Son had to let her in the upstairs window because she was not about to find her own way off the roof.

  The catfight began because there is a feral cat in the area.  This scraggly yellow cat is grubby, skinny and mean.  It will howl and hiss at anyone nearby and threatens other cats (and small dogs).  This morning's episode is the third time that Ms. Nycto has been "treed" by the feral cat.  Enough is enough!  It sure makes me wish that Ms. Put (the Bayou Queen) was still alive.  She never tolerated such misconduct and would have put the rogue in his place.  Many times, this tiny, six pound cat would reprimand (by literally mangling) wrongdoers that came to the Bayou to stir up trouble. I sure miss that little spitfire!  Ms. Nycto has no protection now other than the rooftop.  She needs to learn to stay inside where it is safe!