Black Cats On The Bayou

   First there was Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen who reigned over the Bayou with fairness and grace.  She was a true queen who knew her place and put everyone else in theirs.   As a "throwaway" pet, the tiny kitten crawled from the road, through the creek and meandered through the woods to come to the Little Bayou House.  This was about 25 years ago and she never left until her reign ended.  Some 20 years passed with the cat calling the place home.  Ms. Put was a "Tuxedo Cat" meaning black with touches of white.  She had a howl that could send shivers up the spine of any who were visiting the Bayou for the first time and did not know the sweet cat.  Ms. Put left us heartbroken when she passed.

  Then came Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess.  At first, I tried to shoo this cat back home.  From the looks of her, she was definitely "somebody's" pet.  Nope, Ms. Nycto was another "throwaway" pet who had been discarded like trash.  She was not as wily as Ms. Put even though she was a full grown cat when hurled from the car.  Ms. Nycto was a princess that was not able to hunt for a meal so came to us as a 3lb cat.  Skinny, flea-ridden and homeless...until she found us.  The Bayou Princess stayed for 6 years before meeting an untimely death from bacteria in the marshes.  Ms. Nycto was a longhaired, black cat.

Now, yet another black cat has been plopped upon us.  The yet unnamed creature is, you guessed it, another "throwaway" pet.  This tiny kitten was tossed out in a parking lot and my son-in-law just did not have the heart to leave it.  The poor thing was nothing but skin and bones.  He...yes, he...has made himself quite at home here even though I only consented to "fostering" the wee thing thinking surely someone would adopt him.  So far...no takers.  So far...the Little Prince is stealing our hearts.  So far...I am ONLY FOSTERING.  He is a shorthaired black cat.

  What is it about black cats and the Bayou.  For some odd reason, every cat that has come to stay here has been a "throwaway" pet that is black.  In a way, it is sort of fitting, if you think about it.  There is something mysterious about the Bayou and there is something equally mysterious about black cats.  All in all, they just fit with the quirkiness of the place.  Yes. there have been other visitors to the Bayou.  All were in the same fix having been abandoned by their owners.  Boo, the Maine Coon, was a beautiful creature that was here about a month.  Blinky, the crosseyed Siamese, was led here by Ms. Put.  Captain Jack was a smoky gray fellow that defended Ms. Nycto several times.  We fed them all but only the black ones settle in for the long haul.

  Also, what is it with people tossing out the pets as if they were trash?  To my way of thinking, someone should put those people on the streets without any idea of where their next meal will be found.  They should have to face the odds of being killed by predators, being without shelter and without a soul in the world to care about them.  I have no patience with people like that.  There is not an excuse good enough to warrant being so cruel.  There are other ways, people.  (Notice I am not referring to ones that do this as folks?  "Folks" are kindhearted, genuine humans unlike "people".)  Folks, be kind to animals.  Don't toss them out like trash.  There are other ways, I promise.  Every town has rescue places  that will either take the animal or who will help you find a new home for them.  And, while we are talking about being kind...GET THE MAMA CAT FIXED!

The Story of a Princess

  In most faerie tales, there is a beautiful princess, some terrible trauma, a handsome prince and a happy ending.  It seems to have been the idea behind these tales that the princess always needed a handsome prince to rescue her from an evil villain.  A lot of that rings true with the story of the Bayou Princess.  She was a lovely creature who was extremely maltreated by an evil "villain", rescued by a handsome fellow and then lived the rest of her life in relative bliss.

  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess Cat, came to the Bayou by hook and crook.  It seems that some not-so-nice people (the villains) dumped their unwanted pet on the roadside after nigh on starving the poor thing.  The cat made her way through the creek to the Little Bayou House and decided to stay.  I admit that I tried to shoo her back to her "home" but she was having no part of it and decided THIS was her home.  So be it.  Son (our handsome hero) was the one who first decided to feed this poor, abused animal and from that point, she became quite attached to him.  Whether he wanted a cat or not, he now had one.  She fully adored the man.  The rest was meant to be.  She was dubbed "Ms. Nycto" which is a Latin word for "night" and settled hastily into her new realm as Bayou Princess.  The cat knew she was royalty and expected to be treated as such.  She chose when to be fed, where she was to sleep and even who was allowed to pet her.  Ms. Nycto fully lived up to her title.

  Along about a month ago, yet another trial came her way.  The Bayou Princess made one too many treks through the marsh.  Somehow, she became quite mired and was missing for a couple of days.  When she reappeared, the poor, lovely lady was encrusted with mud and had received an odd injury. Ms. Nycto's tongue had been slit from the base to the tip.  A quick trip to the pet emergency room left her with stitches, a couple of shots and a very odd haircut.  She struggled with her injuries but with a little help she seemed to rally.  Then another downfall and another trip back to the ER.  From that point onward, our sweet princess declined.  She had no fight left in her.  There was one final trip to the ER and a very, very difficult decision.

  It was heartbreaking to let our sweet princess ease her way from pain and agony.  She reigned over the Bayou with grace and dignity and will leave behind a huge void.  Our lovely Bayou Princess, Ms. Nycto has completed her faerie tale.  Rest in peace, Sweet One.  You will truly be missed.

The Mud Princess Meets Trouble

  The other day, I made mention that we had to take the Bayou Princess Cat to the emergency room for pets.  There is a fine hospital just a few miles up in the country that takes wonderful care of pets that have met some dire fate.  Ms. Nycto had done just that.  It all started when she decided to traipse out into the marsh for a while.  She has been doing this lately against my better judgement.  It may have been safe going during the winter months but now that the weather has warmed, the cottonmouths and alligators are active.  No, the Princess did not meet either, as far as I know, but she did come back looking a dreadful mess.  The Bayou mud had caked upon her long belly hair and matted it into one rock-hard snarl.  Anyone who has ever successfully buzz-cut a cat is my hero!  She was having no part of any attempts to rid her of the mats.  She almost appeared to have acquired a shell of some sort on her underside!  Then, the next day, I noticed that she was having extreme difficulty eating or drinking.  Also, anyone who has ever successfully peered down the gullet of a cat is also my hero!  It ain't easy!

  There was nothing to do but take the poor thing in for a bit of medical help.  At the first examination, the veterinarian thought Ms. Nycto had a broken jaw.  "Leave her and we will get her fixed up no matter what it is and we will finish that hair cut for you."  (That last part was enough to convince me that these were good people!)  The cat remained behind and I waited at home for a phone call.  That call came late at night.  It seems that there was an odd wound that was causing the poor cat's complaint.  Somehow, she had sliced the underside of her tongue from the base to the tip.  The tongue was useless as it was so the veterinarian stitched it while she was sedated.  The cat would have to stay in the hospital overnight.   

  The Bayou Princess is back home now.  She is attempting all normal functions but, of course, eating and drinking is labored.  Cats fully depend on that lapping technique!  Son and I are doing our best to accommodate her every need and she is the perfect patient as she never complains.  She is, however, a bit embarrassed as she now looks like a terribly skinny poodle with a bad haircut!  Tufts on her feet, skinny legs, bare belly, fluffy back and head and a tuft of a tail make up the entire coat of this once extremely fluffy cat!  Poor baby slinks from dark corner to dark under-bed hiding spot.  Having that cone of shame on her noggin is not helping, either!  Hopefully, she has learned a lesson about going gallivanting in the marshes.  YOU are a princess, Ms. Nycto!  ACT like it!

A Feral Cat, Tea Olives and the Bayou Princess

  This morning's hike was a quick one as I heard Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess Cat, howling like no one's business.  That meant only one thing...another cat was in the yard.  While Ms. Nycto may look huge and may have a loud howl, that is about the extent of her ability to defend herself.  She is after all...a princess....and, well, one of royalty does not tussle.  Her best idea is to climb the nearest tree not knowing that other cats can climb equally as well if not better.  The tree climbing idea is not a bad one except Ms. Nycto has yet to figure out how to get back down out of a tree.  She sits and meows plaintively in hopes that Son will climb up after her.  My idea?  Leave her be.  She will learn that what goes up...must come down.  Her doleful calls pull at the heartstrings, however, so I try to divert the whole event.  

  It was when I went through the east garden gate that I had to stop in my tracks regardless of an impending cat brawl.  Wafting in the air was the sweet scent of peaches...or apricots...or something!  Yep, the Tea Olive was in bloom and the delightful aroma overpowered the urge to rescue a helpless princess.  The tiny blossoms had captured my attention!  Oh, my goodness!  There appear to be enough that I may dry them for future use in tisanes!  

  Tea Olive is a shrub that has the tiniest blossoms but the largest scent.  The one quarter inch blooms can fill an entire garden with a peachy fragrance like none other.  These blossoms are often infused in tisanes to give the tea-drinker a most pleasant experience.  The blossoms can also be added to jellies, baked goods, soaps and, well, just about anything you wish to have a delightful scent.  

  My pause at the garden gate was soon interrupted by the Bayou Princess.  She had come to glare at me as if to say, "Why did you not come when I summoned you?"  She looked none the worse for wear and prissed her way to the front step and demanded to be let back inside.  She had already had enough frustration for the day and needed a nap!  I gladly consented so I could continue my hike in peace.

Going Belly Up!

  The Bayou Princess came to us some six years ago and decided that the Bayou was a nice place to stay.  Obviously, she was a throwaway cat since she was infested with fleas and thin as a rail.  She came...she stayed...and I could not be happier.  I adore this cat and the feeling is mutual...during the winter months.  Any other time, she tolerates me.  Since she sleeps on the bed next to me, I tend to believe it is more a warmth thing than a "warm" thing.  She is seeking a warm place to spend the night and I am the only one to allow her on the bed.  She purrs loud and drools...a lot.  The bedding has to be changed daily.  Still, she is a comfort.

  To say the cat actually likes me is probably not fully the truth.  She adores Son and will hop off the bed in a heartbeat if she hears his footsteps in the hall.  I do believe, however, she is comfortable with me and, according to the so-called experts in the field of cat emotions, it must be so.  This afternoon, Ms. Nycto was huddled close to me as I edited some photographs.  She expected an accommodating hand to scratch her ears occasionally but was not wanting my full attention.  Suddenly, she bounced off of the sofa and plopped down on the rug.  It was only a few moments later that she was belly-up.  This cat has a weird habit of sleeping with all four paws in the air.  This afternoon, she was not sleeping but just lounging.  Her tail was swishing side to side.  According to those experts, if a cat is belly-up in your presence, it means she feel comfortable and relaxed.  Obviously, Ms. Nycto did not feel threatened this afternoon as she stayed in this position for almost an hour....until she heard Son coming down the hallway.  Bounce! Up she hopped!   She raced to meet him, meowing all the way.

It's not easy being a cat!

  It seems as if there is a never-ending parade of cats that visit the Bayou.  Most are the typical "throwaway" pets that people no longer want because of one reason or another.  "They are too moody."  "I do not have time." "She keeps having kittens."  "There is cat hair on the furniture."  These are some of the whiny excuses that people tell me all the time.  None are reasons...they are whiny excuses for a person doing a mean thing.  Most house cats never make it in the wild.  There are too many predators out there that would love to dine upon "Fluffy".  Yep, that is hard to hear but, yep, it is true.  I have come across the remnants of "Fluffy" more times than I can count and it is never pretty and always heartbreaking.  Don't want to make the commitment...don't get a pet.  Simple. It has never bothered me to take in yet another stray animal.  They come, stay and live out their lives with us.  It does bother me that folks do see pets as something that can be discarded on a whim.

  Ms. Nycto came to the Bayou years ago.  She was as skinny as a rail, flea infested and sweet as a button!  She endeared herself to us immediately and no matter how I tried to find her original owners, no one ever claimed her.  She claimed us.  This sweet cat roams the house, goes out to bask in the sunshine and now rules the roost.  The Bayou Princess gets her choice of sleeping quarters whether it be on my bed, beside the dog or outside of Son's bedroom door. (He does not let her sleep on his bed because she has a habit of drooling...a lot.)  She, also, has the typical cat affinity for boxes.  Let a box be found...and a cat will be found.  

  This morning, I started cleaning out the dressers and came across nigh on a hundred socks.  (Hubby seems to have an affinity for clothes including socks!)  Out of this hundred or so, only about twenty were in sets.  The rest were loose socks.  I started pairing up the socks and tossed some of them in an empty box that once held sweet potatoes.  Since I was changing out the entire dressers, the box set unmoved.  Now, it is not a sweet potato box full of socks but, rather, a cat bed.  Ms. Nycto has laid claim to the nice soft box of socks!  Obviously, she figures that a warm place is needed to tide her over through this cold spell and a box full of socks is ideal. 

  No problems.  She can snooze to her heart's content.  No one needs that many socks anyway!  I will, however, miss her warming my feet at night.

She's Back!

  She is back!  And she is most welcome to stay.  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, has a way of endearing herself to those that are lucky enough to earn her favor.  If she likes you, she lets you know.  If she does not, she ignores you.  I have been "chosen" as the indoor second in favoritism.  She has been quite straightforward that Son is her "first".  She adores him so much so that she follows him everywhere.  But, as I said, I am the second favorite....while she is inside...and it is cold.  Then, she is "my" cat.

  All winter, Ms. Nycto elected to sleep at the foot of my bed.  This is nice as I am notorious for having cold feet at night.  I guess the circulation is poor or I am lacking certain vitamins...whatever.  The cat and her long fluffy fur went a long way in keeping me comfortable on winter nights.  Along about 4am, however, Ms. Nycto would worm her way up near my face for an hour of snuggles before fully demanding that I feed her.  We had a ritual of sleep, snuggles and snacks.  It was perfect for the two of us!

  Then, spring bounced in and my fickle cat moved herself upstairs to the guest bedroom.  There, she sprawled out on the queen-sized bed and the "Princess" became her own grand self.  I felt abandoned.  So much so that for several nights, I could not sleep.  I missed her presence.  I missed the loud, all-night purring.  I missed my foot-warmer and my alarm clock.  It did not seem right to be able to squirm about the bed without worry that I might kick the cat.  

  Well, that lasted for about two weeks.  Mother Nature is playing a trick on us by sending us an April Fool's joke.  The days are dreary rain and the nights are cold again.  I love it!  Why?  Because Ms. Nycto is back next to me again.  Her purring is soothing and my feet are warm.  There is nothing like a cat to make things seem perfect with the world.

Murder on the Back Steps!

  Early this morning, Ms. Nycto begged to be let out the back door.  The cat, otherwise known as the Bayou Princess, demanded in loud meows to have her whims met.  Not wanting to wake up the entire neighborhood at 5am, I heeded her calls and unlocked the door.  No sooner had she slipped out the screen door, than she begged to be let back inside.  Something was amiss out on the back porch and she was having no part of it!  I opened the screen door and let the finicky feline back inside.  The Princess then scampered up the stairs and retired to the large queen-sized bed that she has claimed as her own.  Well, now!!! I pondered if some coyote was prowling in the darkness.  I headed back into the kitchen to get a mug of hot coffee then settled in by the old wood burning stove.

  Along about daybreak, I ventured out that back door just to see if there was any evidence of what scared the cat.  Yup.  Plenty of evidence!  It appeared that a brutal murder had taken place on my doorstep overnight!  The entire steps was covered in blood-red goo!  Not to mention there were incriminating "hand prints" in the "blood"!  My goodness!  No wonder the poor Bayou Princess was scared out of her wits!  

  Now came the time for me to clean up this mess as it was mostly by my own oversight that it occurred.  The night before, I found a nice bowl of cherry sauce in the fridge,  This stuff had somehow gotten shoved far behind the half bottles of pickles, the extra cartons of cream cheese and the chilling pie dough for today's dessert.  The cherry sauce was beyond my use but instead of tossing it in the garbage, it was stuck on the back porch to be toted to the compost in this morning.  I was not about to traipse out in the cold to empty that dish!  Well, by the looks of it, a raccoon decided that the cherry sauce was far too tasty to be wasted. The raccoon helped itself to the dish.  By the looks of things, the cherry sauce may have been even a bit fermented and the coon may have gotten a bit tipsy.  The bowl, itself, was flung under the nearby pear tree and cherry sauce was smeared on every step!  Silly, drunk raccoon!  He murdered that stuff!

 

A Job For A Princess

  Ever since her first appearance on the Bayou, Ms. Nycto has been dubbed the "Bayou Princess".  Granted, when she first came, there already was a queen, Ms. Put but this cat did not seem to be anything other than a princess.  Now that the Queen has passed on to Cat Heaven, one would think that the Princess would step into the vacated position.  She has not.  She will not.  This cat will always be THE Princess.  There will be no coronation proclaiming her to be queen.  She is just not.   However!  She is definitely a princess!  And...should be treated as such.  She requires constant reminding of her beauty and her elegance.  And...she shall NOT be expected to fulfill any menial tasks that ordinary cats are expected to do.  While she may bat at an occasional butterfly, catching a rat or mouse is beneath her dignity so don't expect her to even give chase.  It ain't happenin', folks.  This princess is not going to lower herself to menial tasks.

  Recently, however, Ms, Nycto has taken it upon herself to be official "Watcher" of the old dog.  Mr. PJ's every move is duly noticed and great care is taken to follow his every step.  She stays a good ten feet behind the old dog but traipses along after him as he walks.  Inside, she perches herself on the dining room chair so she can watch him sleep.  The old dog never notices but I do.  I often wonder why she is so dutifully watching him.  It never ceases lately.  She watches his every move.

  Is there some instinct that tells her he may need help, at some point?  He has fallen a good bit lately as athritis is setting in the hind legs so maybe she is there to help?  I hope so.  Otherwise, it is downright creepy having a stalker in our midst!  That said, I am glad it is the dog she is following and not me!  There is something about eyes being on you at all times that is a bit unnerving!  

Oh, THIS One!!

  Ms. Nycto has not "graduated" to being a Bayou Cat even after all the years of living here.  Although we dutifully call her the Bayou Princess, it is more out of sarcasm than respect.  She is NOT a Ms. Put (RIP).  Ms. Put WAS definitely a Bayou Cat and even earned the right to reign as Bayou Queen.  She can never be replaced.  Ms. Nycto will only be dubbed princess and never queen.  She just is not Bayou Queen material.

  Several times in the past, Ms. Nycto has found herself in the need of rescuing.  The first time is when she came to the Bayou seeking refuge from some pretty hateful people who abused her.  She came...she never left.  Then, after being here a few years, Ms. Put had to defend the Bayou Princess from a marauding tomcat that was quite intent on killing her.  (Yes, actually killing.) I interfered with the attack and the feral tom turned on me!  Ms. Put was aged and not strong but she saw that we were being attacked and she raced across the yard to our aid.  She battled the much larger feral tom until he was in no shape to be attacking anyone.  Ms. Nycto watched from the top of a pine tree where she had to be retrieved by Son after the ordeal was over. 

  This evening, I asked Son to fetch Ms. Nycto for her feeding.  She spends the nights inside the Little Bayou House for her own safety.  This time, Son could not find the cat.  He wandered about the hillside until he heard her pitiful cries.  There she was again.  Up in another tree and did not know how to get back to the ground.  Coyotes were seen in the area so we assume they did the chasing this time.  The cat was high up in the tree and was wedged between branches.  Son came to the rescue once again.  The ladder was hauled to the woods, propped against the tree and Son climbed to get the cat.  Getting a scared cat out of a tall tree is not a fun task.  It took nigh on an hour to get her free from the branches and down to safety.  As we were attempting rescue, the sun was setting and we could hear the coyotes just beyond the underbrush.  To say that was a bit unnerving is an understatement.  A pack of coyotes is not something you want to encounter in the woods especially after dark.  They are sneaky and mean!

  The Bayou Princess is now back inside, fed and hiding on the rocking chair upstairs.  Her ordeal left her a bit shaken but with no physical injuries.  Son and I, on the other hand, are both covered with scrapes, scratches and mosquito bites from being down in the creek bed after dark.  Oh, this silly cat! The Bayou Queen would not have gotten in such a mess.  More than likely, she would have settled the score with the coyotes.  That little seven pound cat was a scrapper!

The Big Ball of Fluff

  The weather is acting a bit out of the norm for the Deep South.  It is cold.  We are not accustomed to cold.  We live in an area of high heat and high humidity.  Cold is different.  I like it.  I could get used to not feeling as if I have a bubble of steam surrounding me.  I could get used to not sweating.  It is amazing!  This does not mean that I am not taking measures to warm the place.  The old wood stove is chugging along quite nicely.  The stovepipe on the rooftop is sending out poofs of smoke like an old time train engine.  Armloads of firewood are being toted in to fill the wood bin and I actually have on a sweatshirt instead of a t-shirt!  Again...I like it!

  While this weather may suit me, I am not sure the Bayou Princess is in agreement.  Ms. Nycto is a spoiled house cat.  She came to live with us quite by accident after being abused and dumped out on the road.  She wandered to the Little Bayou House and never left.  The adjustment was an easy one for us but not so much on her.  While we welcomed her with open arms, she had big shoes...errr...paws to fill.  The Bayou Queen, Ms. Put, (RIP) was a working cat that kept the place free of rodents, she stayed outside by choice and would only occasionally need attention.  Ms. Nycto, on the other hand, is just a big ball of fluff that would rather snooze on the bed and eat canned food than do any type chore.  She does, however, want to be outside during the daytime hours.  That is a bit of her undoing.  She begged to go outside early this morning only to find that it had turned a bit chilly overnight.  The decision to remain outside was a hard one but one she chose.  An hour later, I found her huddled near the greenhouse door with fur fluffed at its fluffiest!  Poor baby was not entirely happy with her decision.  

  It was not long before she was back at the front door meowing at me to open it for her.  Once inside, she made a beeline for the upstairs where she could nestle down in the big comforter on the bed.  Yes, she is spoiled but, then again, what does a princess expect?  

My Throne Is Missing!

  The Bayou Princess is missing her throne.  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess Cat, has claimed the throne room (aka side deck) since the death of the Bayou Queen.  When Ms. Put was alive and well, she reigned over the entire Bayou and...what she wanted...she got.  The princess conceded many times to the elderly queen even though they were unrelated and had only known each other for a few years.  (Both were throwaway cats that arrived on the Bayou at different times. Both stayed.)  Since the demise of the Bayou Queen, one would think that the Bayou Princess would take the crown. She has not.  Even though she is treated royally, she has not learned to reign in the stead of the queen.  Still, she laid claim to the deck and the old bench.  This was the throne and since no queen was ever crowned, the Ms. Nycto figured it was hers.  Good enough.  She would while away the hours snoozing on the old bench. If anyone neared, she would hiss and dart into the jasmine.

  This was all fine and dandy until last week, when we dismantled the deck.  Its time had come as it had become nothing more than a catchall for fishing gear and gardening tools.  The bench was moved to the side and the boards removed.  Now, a large empty spot sits where the deck once was.  The boards, however, are still in a pile waiting to be hauled to the back of the shed where a new deck is to be built.  Ms. Nycto was confused, to say the least.  The first morning after the deck was removed, she darted out the door and headed straight to the nonexistent deck.  She was bewildered.  Where was her throne??

  This afternoon, I went out to find Ms.Nycto relaxing on the pile of deck boards.  Her throne room had been demolished, her throne removed but she was still the Bayou Princess and she would lay claim to anything that her heart desired...the pile of boards was hers.  She is learning...slowly but surely.

Was That A Hug?

  So....after a solid year of living together, these two are finally beginning to like each other.  Up until this point,  Mr. PJ (the old dog) and Ms. Nycto (the Bayou Princess Cat) have merely tolerated each other if they had to be within thirty feet of one another.  They would have just as soon been on other planets, if at all possible.  Mr. PJ was more accepting than Ms. Nycto.  She was having no part of the old dog and she was willing to let him know exactly how she felt.  With any passing, it was her duty to hiss, howl and smack the poor unsuspecting dog.  He had never dealt with such a petulant critter before coming to the Bayou.  Her fickleness confused the old dog so much that he gave up trying to be friends even though he greatly misses his life-long buddy, Kiki.  (For those who do not know, Mr. PJ was not allowed to go to the island with my son and daughter-in-law but their cat was. So, he lost not only his family but his best friend all in one day.  It is heartbreaking!)

  This lack of friendship between Mr. PJ and Ms. Nycto has gone on for the entire year that he has been with us. Now things have changed and it has caught me off guard.  The sudden friendliness started about two weeks ago with Nycto not taking undue swipes at the old dog.  Then this week, I noticed that she was actually being nice to him.  It is almost scary!!  Knowing that the cat can sometimes be devious, I am pondering what she is plotting!  

  This morning really surprised me as both animals seemed to genuinely like each other!  Yes...LIKE.  Can you imagine?  Ms. Nycto was lounging on the yard bench while Mr. PJ was waiting for me to open the door.  I turned just in time to see the pair nuzzle each other.  Oh, my!!  That was like a hug! Oh, happy day!  Maybe now PJ won't be on the receiving end of boops on the nose by a foul-tempered cat.  Maybe he can have a new best friend.  Lets hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship!

Working for the Title!

  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, is by far the most unsuitable cat to claim the Little Bayou House as her home.  She is definitely NOT a Bayou Cat.  She is a house cat...a big, fluffy lap cat....a spoiled rotten ornament of a pet that just happened to be abandoned at some point by her previous owners.  They dumped her at our place and drove away in haste.  What choice did the throwaway cat have but to come begging at our doorstep? Still, she has endeared herself to us and we took her in as one of our own.  No problems....except that we sort of thought she should act like a cat.  Nope.  Not happening.  She is a still a big ball of fluff that has yet to learn the ins and outs of being a working cat which comes to the problem.  When living on the Bayou, everyone (or everything) has to earn its keep.  We all have our "jobs" and try to complete them with some sort of adequacy.  Ms. Nycto was expected to follow in the footsteps of our other rescued cat, Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen.  She had not.  This sweet cat has yet to catch her first rat, mouse, vole, mole or squirrel.  She has not figured out how to keep birds from the fruit trees or squirrels from the tomato plants.  She has not figured out how to do anything except look pretty....and purr.

  However!  However, today, was a different story! Sort of...maybe...perhaps accidentally.  Ms. Nycto was suffering tremendously by the onslaught of mosquitoes.  The poor baby's ears were being chewed to the point of being bloody.  I bought some (very expensive) medicine to coat her ears.  This was supposed to repel all biting bugs.  I can see why.  This stuff stinks.  It sort of smells like an eucalyptus tree vomited on the poor cat.  But it does indeed work. Somewhat.  That said, Ms. Nycto decided to take things into her own hands...err...paws!  She has now claimed the raised herb/carrot garden as her personal spa/bed.  She spends most of her time snoozing in the corner of the bed letting the highly scented herbs do their job.  Smart cat..or at least smarter cat.  I am happy to see her smashing a few of the basil, carrot and oregano plants.  She is doing an untold service.

  The raised herb garden sits between the two large fig trees.  Prior to the change in the cat's sleeping quarters, every bird within the county was feasting upon the ripe figs.  I was getting very few for my yearly stockpile of fig jam.  The pantry would remain bare at this rate.  That all changed once the cat claimed the raised garden as her favorite spot. The birds are wary of the black blob of fur and the figs remain in tact. So, inadvertantly, the cat has been doing her job!  If only she knew how well she was protecting my fruit, she would be proud as a peacock! Good job, Ms. Nycto!  Keep it up and you just may well earn the title of Bayou Cat!

 

I Thought We Lost Her

  Have you ever had one of those dreaded moments where the heart nearly jumps up into your throat?  One of those instances where something shocks you, scares you and generally alarms you?  One of those times that the gut gets a sickly feeling about something that just does not seem right?  Well, I had one of those today.  

  My hike started out well with me finding that the caterpillars have left the fennel plants and are off to make more egg-laying butterflies so the cycle can start again.  At least for the duration of the change from caterpillar to butterfly, the fennel can flourish before it becomes an unsightly mess again from their constant chomping.  I just do not have the heart to kill butterflies even when they are caterpillars.  I was happy to see that the critters have gone on their merry way.  That is how the hike started, then came the gut wrenching find near the Frog Pond.  The sight of Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, stopped me in mid step.  My poor kitty!  What could have happened to her?  She looked bedraggled and, well, dead.  She was belly-up and did not even wiggle when I stepped just inches from her.  I was distraught in thinking something drastic had occurred.

  I knelt down beside the cat and gently placed my hand on her belly.  Wow!  I was relieved when she yawned hugely and stretched out her legs.  That crazy cat was snoozing!  She sure had me fooled!  I have never seen a cat lounge about like this nutcase.  Then I had to giggle. Poor Ms. Nycto.  She sure is not a true bayou cat.  Her senses need to be honed before she will truly ever be able to survive without our help but, then again, I never expect her to be out on her own.  She will always be pampered as much as she will allow. 

  After finding the cat sleeping upside down, I figured it might have been because she was hot.  The sunshine warmed the day to the mid 80's and she does have a lot of fur.  Time for a haircut, Ms. Nycto, time for your beauty appointment.  Tomorrow's task?  Trim a cat. That belly fur has got to go.

I'm Cold!

  While I do love winter and while I do understand that most of the country is far icier that we are here on the Bayou, I am cold.  I stay cold.  Perhaps this is due to whatever ailment has an unrelenting grip on me but I feel the cold this year.  My feet, legs, shoulders all seem akin to ice cubes!  Most winters, I am good with the two cast iron cookstoves providing the only heat in the Little Bayou House.  Even though it rarely gets above 60 degrees inside (except when I bake), a t-shirt and jeans provided enough warmth.  I admit that I am not as cold-hardy as Son.  His winter-wear is the same as his summer togs.  Shorts and a t-shirt see him through all seasons.  Unless he is splitting firewood, he does not even wear shoes!  This year, I have tried donning a sweater thinking it should help to warm me but I still "shake in my boots"!  I have tried all sorts of warming tisanes...no help.  I am just cold...downright cold!

  However!  Someone recently came to my rescue.  The past few nights have seen the temperatures drop to near freezing causing the house to cool dramatically.  At night, the blankets on the bed have raised to mountainous extremes.  Three deep and I am still shivering!  But my guardian came to visit and all is well.  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess cat, rarely comes inside but for the past few nights has insisted on entering and being near me.  She practically clings to me at all times.  Which is good.  She has been sleeping on the bed (actually on my feet) and is like a living bed-warmer.  With her help, I have managed to sleep soundly and warmly.  During the night after she thinks I am asleep, Ms. Nycto softly pads her way up to cuddle near my chest or against my back.  Ahhh!  Relief!

  Growing up on the farm, animals were not allowed in the house except when some plate of food or bottle of milk was accidentally spilled. Then either the dog or cat was allowed in to help clean up the mess.  (Waste not, want not...if we could not eat whatever was spilled, at least one of the critters would feast.)  Since I grew up thinking animals should stay outside, it almost surprises me that I am ok with one sleeping on the bed with me.  Maybe I should not look upon Ms. Nycto as a mere animal, maybe she is my doctor in this case. Her presence is helping to heal me.

  The only thing bad about having this cat in the house is that the other cat, Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, is a bit skeptical.  In her frail, later years, Ms. Put has been allowed to spend all of her time sleeping in front of the wood stove.  The old cat can hardly see, hear or smell anymore so being outside with the coyotes, fox or even the owls is out of the question.  Ms. Put and Ms. Nycto have never been buddy/buddy.  They do not like each other or even tolerate each other.  Having both in the house at the same time is like treading on thin ice.  I am waiting for a full on cat brawl to erupt in the middle of the night.  Hopefully, Ms. Put will stay in the dining room and Ms. Nycto will not venture off my bed.  A cat fight is not something that I feel up to refereeing.   I'm too cold for that!

When Will She Learn?

  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, has her share of problems.  First, she has been dubbed the "princess" because she is definitely NOT a bayou cat.  She was dumped here as a stray by some disgusting folks who think pets are disposable.  Obviously, the cat was accustomed to a life of leisure or, at least, was kept indoors at all times.  This perhaps was not a good idea since it made her lazy and unprepared to be on her own when her previous family decided to discard her.  When she first made her way to the Bayou, she was nigh on starved, covered with fleas and had her fur so matted that it took months to trim her.  She tugged at the heartstrings and wound up being part of our family but, even though she is welcome to come inside, she prefers to be outdoors.  It is that fear of being locked up again that is her undoing.  The poor cat, no matter how she tries, just cannot get the hang of being a true bayou cat.  She has no idea how to catch anything so she is useless in the fight against rats, mice and voles.  Her long fur becomes quite entangled in vines and such making traipsing about the place difficult.  And, she has no idea of what might be harmful which is what presented the problems this week.

  It is the time of year when the yellowjackets are out in full force.  They know that the seasons are beginning to change so they are busy gathering foodstuffs for their larvae.  Anything edible is considered fair game for these wasps and that includes cat food.  Ms. Nycto is fed on the back porch and has a habit of leaving just a tad of food in her bowl.  I suppose she is saving it for later but the yellowjackets have other ideas. They swarm the bowl and make short work of her leftovers.  I try to pick up the bowl as soon as she is finished but. occasionally, I become distracted.  A few days ago, while a dozen or so wasps were cleaning the bowl, Ms. Nycto thought to investigate their actions.  Oh, you goofy cat! Don't mess with yellowjackets!  

  The wasps were not too happy with the big fluffy cat batting at them so they took action.  While they could not penetrate that thick fluff, her ears and paws were open targets.  She apparently managed to protect her ears with her front paws but those back paws received a couple of stings.  My poor baby has had swollen paws for four days now.  We have been keeping check on her and treating the stings so they are looking much better.  

  Then today.  Today....that silly princess seemingly forgot that the yellowjackets were the source of all her troubles for the past few days.  I saw her batting at another wasp this afternoon.  She had better appreciate my intervention for I am sure that I saved her from a bit more agony when I shooed her away from the angry wasps.  When will she ever learn???

 

The Watchcat!

  Sometimes I get so frustrated at folks with no respect for critters.  Here lately, we have seen a barrage of "throwaway" pets.  Inconsiderate folks want cute puppies and kittens but when the pets reaches adulthood, they are tossed to the wayside like trash.  It frustrates me to no end!  I have taken in more animals than I should simply because no one else wants them.  Now, the never-ending string of tossed-out cats has reached a point of aggravation in more ways than I can count. Males are forever marking "their" territory, the cats fight Ms. Put who cannot defend herself any longer, they are stealing food from our pets and they are ripping the screens on doors.  ENOUGH ALREADY!

  Both of our cats are ones that were tossed out like trash and made their way down the long trek to the Bayou.  They were both sweet cats to begin with so I had no problem feeding them and trying to find their original homes. Ms. Put has been with us seemingly forever and I would not have missed the opportunity to have her here.  I adopted Nycto a while back and she has truly become a part of the family.  She has come a long way both physically and emotionally.  When she first came to the Bayou, she was extremely malnourished and scared.  She was highly skeptical of our attempts at helping her.  Not any more.  Now, she is assured of daily meals and a warm bed when she wants it.  

 Nycto standing guard over the greenhouse.  

   Lately though, Nycto has decided that it is her duty to protect the place from interlopers which come in the form of feral cats.  Her nights are spent outside purely by her choice.  Her low, guttural squalls can be heard permeating the night's darkness.  The hisses, screeches and wails that mean nothing but a cat fight is in progress are now a nightly occurrence.  At first, this worried me but not any more.  Obviously, Nycto can take care of herself and is doing a fine job of ridding the area of unwanted intruders.  This used to be Ms. Put's job but since the old Bayou Queen has become more or less incapacitated with age, the youngster has stepped up to the task at hand.  She stands firm and does her best to fill the "shoes" of the old cat.  This is a feat in itself since when Nycto first came to the Bayou, Ms. Put had to rescue her from the interlopers.

  In the past, I have tried to get help with the onslaught of cats that have taken up residence around here.  None of the so-called services wished to be bothered with the situation.  I was told that if the cats were on my property "they are your problem".  Well, problem solved.  Let one fifteen pound cat handle the scrawny ferals.  Sorry.  If these were nice like Ms. Put and Nycto, I would have fed them as well but, now,  Nycto has my blessings for a job well done!

Sweet or Sour?

  Cats can be the most aggravating or the most lovable animals in the universe.  They ignore you or they adore you.  They love to be petted or will scratch the tar out of you.  They can almost communicate with you with their meows or will sit and glare at you for hours.  Cats are fickle...definitely fickle.  Let it be known that I have (or rather they have me) two of positively the most aggravating yet adoringly lovable cats to ever exist.  They do, indeed, bite, scratch, hiss and howl but they also love being petted and cuddled...when they desire.

   Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, has changed her habits this month.  She knows that winter is on its way so she has taken to sleeping indoors at night.  This might also have something to do with the fact that yet another stray cat has wandered into the area.  The newcomer is not welcome by the other two and, since she is the older, she lets Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, handle the dirty work of the nightly squabbles. Come morning, Ms. Put wishes to bask in the sunshine so she patiently waits at the door until I grant her wishes.  Out she goes for the day.  This morning, I was certain that the spat would be between the two resident cats as Nycto was lounging not far from the door.  To assure that the old cat would not have to contend with the young whippersnapper, I quietly watched from the window.  Ms. Nycto eyed the wanderings of Ms. Put but never moved an inch.  All was well.

  I had to smile when I spied Nycto and her choice of snoozing spots.  She had claimed the outdoor wicker coffee-table as her own.  The lower shelf fit the bill perfectly as her new bed.  She filled the entire shelf with her massive body and copious amounts of fluff.  While she napped, her tail bobbed over the edge of the table and flicked grass blades into a frenzy.  What a pretty sight she was!  The inky blackness was in stark contrast to the bright red of the wicker and showy greenery around her. My sweet kitty appeared to be in a perfect state of bliss.  I eased over to her side and she stared at me with her large, green eyes.  She blinked but never moved.  Thinking this was an invitation for a petting session, I reached down to stroke her head!  The cat shot out of the other side of the table like I had doused her with ice water!  So much for lovable, sweet cats!  Oh, well...they are both well-loved regardless of the fact that they are fickle!

Fit for a Princess!

  Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, has suddenly been exiled to the garden patch.  Since she and Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, are not particularly happy when they are near each other, I have to find ways of separating the pair.  Cats can be so very fickle!  Ms. Nycto had spent the winter nights sleeping on the foot of my bed since Ms. Put had claimed the rest of the house.  I had no problem with this as a big fluffy cat can be the nicest foot warmer in the world!  Now, however, that has all changed.  Ms. Put realized that another cat had found a nice, comfy spot in "HER" house and she was not at all a happy camper.  Ms. Put took over the bed and poor Princess has been booted all the way outside!  Keep in mind that this was not by my choice!  I loved having Nycto with me but the Queen rules.

  Since the weather has warmed, things were not too bleak for the Princess, though.  She found that the straw covering my pineapple plants made for a cushy bed.  The area was protected from any predators by the garden fence and from the north wind by the house.  I guess it was about as comfortable as one could find if stranded outside but all things come to an end.  The pineapples started growing again and the coverings needed to be cleared.  I got busy and cleaned the gardens of all the frost-preventing straw and never thought about Ms. Nycto's bed.  

  Come nighttime, poor Princess was without sleeping quarters. She opted to sleep on the porch rail snuggled in an old oyster sack. I felt terrible!  The next morning saw me trying to make her a place that was at least as comfortable as her straw mattress.  Pondering the situation, I hit upon an idea.  Since she could no longer sleep in the corner of the garden near the pineapples due to their pointy leaves, I would raise her above the ground!  She would have a hammock!  A bit of ingenuity came into play and soon a raised wire platform was suspended from the cucumber fence to the herb shelf,  Over this, the cleaned oyster sack was folded as a mattress.  Ahh, yes!  Now for the test.  Would Princess love her bed or would she prove to be miffed by my efforts.

  I am pleased to say that the idea was a success.  Ms. Nycto loves her new perch in the garden.  She has the freedom to roam when she wishes but still has a nice comfy bed.  In fact, she spends most of the day lounging on her bed.  I do think she likes being a bit higher so she can see what is happening around her.  She also has access to the greenhouse during rainstorms or cool nights.  I think this might be a solution to the cat-fight over sleeping quarters!  Once again, the old Queen rules.