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.

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???

 

A Different Perspective

  I have been noticing that Nycto, the young cat, has been taking an awful lot of naps beneath the Satsuma tree.  At any given time (even during rainstorms), the crazy feline can be found snoozing away in the mulch.  I pondered this situation especially the part about those rainstorms.  (Why would a cat sleep outside in the rain?)  But back to my pondering.  What is the allure of lazing about in this particular spot? I know that cats have a tendency to pick a spot for naptime and will use the area for a few weeks before moving but this cat has done this since we found her a little over a year ago.  Why? Why here?

  Well, there is no better way of discovering something than by just doing it.  I got down on my knees next to the cat and, after reassuring her that all was fine, laid down next to her.  She seemed curious about my actions but made no effort to scamper from her bed.  She would share.  So, I laid there trying to find that elusive allure of the spot.  What was it?  I flipped over and stared up.  Well, that is pretty!  I guess perhaps Ms. Nycto loves flowers!

  A group of Gloriosa Lilies had decided to grow right next to the Satsuma tree and were intermingled with the citrus leaves.  Their bright green leaves contrasted sharply against the dark citrus leaves and the bright reds and yellows of the blooms set up a showy exhibit!  Wow! This was gorgeous!

  Now I know that the blooms are not there year round like the cat is but at least for now her view is spectacular!  Is this why Ms. Nycto has chosen the spot for her beauty rest?  I have no clue but, hey, I can certainly understand the appeal during the summertime!  Sometimes things need to be seen from a different perspective to be fully appreciated. Happy dreams, Nycto!

Dog Shaming

  It seems to be a popular trend on all of the social medias to shame your pup.  If the dog does something deemed naughty, its photograph is then splashed all over the internet with some cutesy caption attached.  I admit.  Most are hilarious.  I get a kick out of them merely because I have "been there and done that."  Ms. Ez has done her share of shameful antics and when I was fostering the young pup, Sunny, the acts were nonstop.  Back in those days, I did snap lots of photographs of the pups in their pouty, puppy-dog eyed poses and let the world in on their misdeeds.  The naughtiness has not ceased.

  Since Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, (also known as the rescue cat) has started coming indoors at night, Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, has accepted it well. Except for one thing.  Once the cat ventures back outdoors in the morning, Ms. Ez eats all of the cat's food.  It has always been my way of reprimanding Ezzy by making her "hold" whatever evidence she left behind.  With the eating of the cat's food, I made her hold the cat's bowl.  This seems to be the harshest of punishments according to the looks I get from the dog.  She is obviously quite done in by the pose.  Always before, the punishment cured the dog of ever doing an action for a second time.  Not so with the cat's food.  Time and time again, I have corrected the dog's actions.  Time and time again, the dog would stare at me with big, mopey eyes.  Time and time again, she would eat the cat's food.

  This morning, yet again, the cat's food became Ms. Ez's food.  I was just about to fuss at her when she did something so humorous that laughter was the only recourse.  Ms. Ez calmly picked up the empty cat bowl and toted it to the corner where she sat down to look at me dolefully.  Poor, old pup, she had shamed herself.  I giggled at her.  I guess if this is the way things are going to be, I will just have to accept it.  No more fussing at Ms. Ez for eating the cat's food.  Ms. Nycto will just have to learn to clean her bowl if she doesn't want the dog to eat her leftovers.  At least, Ms. Ez picks up the dishes after she eats!

While the north wind doth blow, Sleeping Beauty slumbers soundly!

  The wind is whipping about the Bayou like something crazy.  The Little Bayou House's windows are a-rattling and the trees are sending up howls as the wind thrashes through their bare branches.  Outside, the temperature has already begun its plummet to lows unknown. Although, we shall never equal the frigid lows of our neighbors to the north, it is still quite, ummm, nippy out.  Mark, Michael and I did what we could to protect the three "Ps" as our weatherman calls them...pets, pipes and plants.  We had a few extra chores as the tractors, pump and woodpile all needed tending.  By nightfall, things seemed to be ready to face the worst.  The house is snug and warm.

  As for pets, Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, has always had her cozy bed in the corner of the living room.   The Bayou Queen, better known as Ms. Put, the cat, laid claim to the dining room, kitchen, two downstairs bedrooms and two upstairs bedrooms (and any other nook that she could squeeze into!).  This left little area for the Bayou Princess, Ms. Nycto, (also known as the "new" cat).  I could close her into the entryway but since that is not heated, she would still be cold.  Ponder, ponder.  Something just had to be done.  Since the critters all have their quirky ways and do not see eye-to-eye on anything, I was afraid to leave them all to their own methods of civility...of which there would be none.

  I was just about to have the need to evict the Bayou Queen from some of her realm when the Princess solved the whole situation.  Since she normally refuses to enter the house, I felt quite honored when she chose to bed down right next to me.  I know this was merely due to the fact that I could play referee if any confrontations occurred but it did tickle me just a bit.  Perhaps this cat did like me a bit....maybe? Actually, she is a sweetie and loves to be petted....constantly.  That said, I may not get a lot of sleep since she does demand that the hand keep stroking her long fur.  Ahh, well, at least I know she is warm and safe from the harshness of a wintry night.  Good night, Ms.Nycto, sleep warm.

A Happy Tale

  Last February, a cat wandered up to the Little Bayou House.  I did not need another critter.  I did not really want another critter.  Ms. Nycto became part of the family.  I had tried to shoo her back home to wherever she had once lived but she was not having any part of that. Finally after several days of telling her to "Go home!", I fed her.  She was a bit leery of me but allowed me to pet her and that was when I decided that the cat would no longer be visiting the Bayou, she would live here.  The poor darling was nothing but a big wad of fur.  I am used to small cats since Ms. Put only weighs about six pounds but this huge framed cat should easily go nine or ten pounds.  I figured it was time to get her to the vet and start caring for the critter.  News from the vet was startling as he said she weighed a mere three and a half pounds.  The animal was starved nearly to death.  She was also extremely matted and was full of vermin! Someone had been most cruel to this cat.  It was up to us to make sure she regained her health.

  Yesterday, I was out working in the greenhouse when I noticed Ms. Nycto basking in the sunshine. The cat is getting her winter coat and is absolutely gorgeous.  She has come a long way in the past months. Her health has improved tremendously and she now weighs almost eleven pounds.  This is her perfect weight as the vet said anywhere from ten to twelve pounds would be proper.  She seems much more sure of herself and is definitely more comfortable around us.  It makes me happy to see such improvement in the animal.  

  One wonders just what occurred to ever get the cat in the condition she was.  Had someone intentionally starved her?  Had she been abandoned? What struggle had the poor darling endured before winding up on our doorstep?  I will never know the answers to these questions but that is ok.  Ms. Nycto is part of the family now.  She is safe and loved.

Finally at home

  Our recently adopted cat, Nycto, has had a rough go about accepting us as her family.  She adores my son, Michael, but that does not mean much for the rest of us.  Every animal adores Michael.  I don't care if you bring a wild 'possum his way, in a few minutes, he will be petting it.  (I can't say much there, I pet them, too!)  Still, 'possums, rabbits, snakes, cats, they are all the same to him..critters to be petted or at least befriended.  He just told me this evening about some baby armadillos that he found in the lane.  "They are friendly little rascals."  Ok, that said, Nycto following Michael around is like a baby chicks after a mama hen.  It only seems natural.  He does not do anything special..doesn't talk to the critters..doesn't ply them with food..they just seem to know that he is their friend.  Not so with me.  Sure, I have a knack of befriending birds of all things but warm and fuzzy critters?  Not so much.

  This morning, however, things were different.  The cats, Nycto and Ms. Put, still have to have their own space when inside.  Nycto, being the newbie, is  to the entryway while Ms. Put, being Queen of all the Universe, has the run of the rest of the house.  This works well in as much as Nycto has no problem being secluded as long as she has a nice cozy place to snooze.  Ms. Put roams.  She needs room to move about as she searches for any thing searchable.  All night long, she is bounding in and out of every nook and cranny of the Little Bayou House.  Since I arise before dawn, Ms. Put and I have our breakfast together.  Then she wants out.  No problem.  This morning, after I let her free for the day, Nycto was allowed to explore the house. It was raining and she was in no hurry to escape the confines of her warm and cozy quarters but after a bit, she decided to meander about the house. She came into the large living room where I was working on a painting. She watched me a bit then decided to hop up on the window ledge. Here she could watch the rain and snooze in relative safety from Ms. Ez, the dog.  Ez was nervous about Nycto being in the same room.  She has not figured out the Nycto is a cat and not to be chased.  To her, fuzzy tail denotes squirrel..squirrel means chase.  This has happened several times in the yard and it was all Ez could do to control her instinct to pounce on the fuzzy-tailed Nycto.

  After a napping a bit on the window ledge, Ms. Nycto decided it was time to grace me with her presence.  She snuggled up close to me and continued her morning beauty sleep.  I petted her occasionally but not enough to make her uncomfortable.  It was a grand feeling to know that Ms. Nycto now felt at ease enough to snuggle.  She seems to have forgotten those who abused her and can now relax enough to enjoy a bit of family.  She is finally at home.

 

She's trying!

  Ms. Nycto, the abandoned cat that we adopted, has no idea how to be a Bayou Cat.  She stalks leaves as prey, only eats store-bought cat food and still has not figured out that rain gets her wet.  She sits on the porch rail through the strongest of rainstorms instead of seeking shelter.  Ms. Put, on the other hand, knows to head under the house or into the shed.  Ms. Nycto sits on the railing and soaks up all the rain with her long fur.  I try to coax her inside but to no avail.  Her lack of commonsense must be due to the fact that she was obviously someone's "indoor" lap cat and not a rough and tumble survivor like Ms. Put.  Both were "throwaway" cats.  Ms. Put was tossed from a moving car as a kitten.  She made her way through the creek and woods to the Little Bayou House.  Along the way, she caught small critters to eat and was able to outsmart predators that might have made a meal out of her.  Ms. Nycto was abandoned as a fully grown cat.  When we found her, she was emaciated, matted and vermin-infested.  She had no idea how to survive and the end was near until we stepped in to care for her.
   
  Her inability to "fit in" on the Bayou has cost her a bit of her pride, though.  She is constantly being humiliated by the other critters. Lizards, frogs and birds are getting the best of her!  The woodpeckers and cardinals eat most of her overpriced cat food and frogs simply terrify her.  The lizard?  Well, at least she caught its tail even though she knew not what to do with it.  Still, the cat is trying as she pulls guard duty in the garden.  Several times she has decided that the peach trees make the perfect shade for her beauty sleep.  The birds and squirrels have yet to figure out that this cat is a far cry from being the hunter of Ms. Put.  While she naps, the other critters chatter and twitter among themselves and dare not raid the plump peaches.  (If only I could convince her to stay there permanently!)  

  Yesterday morning, I found her in an entirely different place.  Her resting spot was high on the top of the herb shelf.  Here she had a clear view of the entire kitchen garden spot.  She was able to protect (and I use the word lightly) my crops from the voles and squirrels.  Her long, fluffy tail swished unceasingly which  kept the critters alerted to her presence.  Even while she was dozing, the tail swished.  Back and forth, back and forth, like the pendulum in the old mantel clock.  Was she aware of how well she was ridding the garden of pests?  I doubt it.  Still, it is nice to see her adapting to life around here.  Now if I can only teach her to stay out of the rain!

The Leaf Huntress!

  Ms. Nycto, the new cat, was definitely someone's house cat at some point.  How she came to be roaming about the marshes is anybody's guess.  When we found her she was infested with fleas and ticks and emaciated.  The poor baby needed help and needed help fast!  So, long story made short, she became one of the family.   I did not need another cat, nor want another cat but here she is. One thing we immediately noticed and thought was strange, Ms. Nycto cannot hunt.  It is a fact that Ms. Put, the Bayou Cat, would not starve to death if she ever found herself in such a predicament.  She has no problem catching food and finding water. Ms. Nycto cannot catch a thing save the one lizard that she de-tailed and then had no idea that it was food. 

Ms. Nycto being her usual diva self.

  All of this is not for a lack of trying.  She chases leaves quite well!  Today, Son was out putting rafters up on the greenhouse when he saw Ms. Nycto chasing something behind the shed.  He thought this was great and thought perhaps she was actually about to learn a skill other than her perfected one of sleeping.  After a few minutes, she proudly came around the shed and meowed at him.  She had her prey! Being up on the rooftop, he could not see exactly what that prey was, though, so down he climbed. She kept meowing for him to come see.  She was extremely proud and wanted him to know that she had done a good deed!  He squatted down next to her and reached to take the unfortunate critter from her.  She gladly plopped the....leaf...in his hand!  Yep, Ms. Nycto had caught another leaf!  Her pride in presenting it to Michael was quite evident as she wound around him waiting for his praise.  He petted her nicely and carried the prize in to me.  "Nycto caught something, Mom!"  Oh, geez!  Would this cat ever learn to be a Bayou Cat or will she remain the spoiled diva of her early life?

Ms. Nycto's prize catch......a leaf!

  I have heard so much controversy over allowing cats to roam that it is not funny.  It amazes me that folks think that cats do indeed love being held captive inside the house.  They were born to roam, hunt and be free. I agree that if there is a danger of them being in traffic or some such thing, then protect them but if there is room for them to gad about a bit, let them have a bit of fun! Sure, if these two cats wish to come inside, they have the option but that option works both ways.  Their whims of being free to roam about the Bayou is granted whenever they desire.  And, yes, I have heard all of the whiny bits about how cats kill other critters but without that, think of the overrun of mice, rats, squirrels and even birds that would occur.  It is all about survival of the fittest.  Critters that can survive, do survive.  Critters that have not learned survival skills will fall prey to any larger animal...cats included.  Here on the Bayou, that thinning of critters is direly needed.  Food sources are far too many so rodents, themselves, are far too many.  If there were no check of procreation, the place would be overrun to the point that all would perish due to overcrowding and disease.  This happened to the raccoon population just a couple of years ago.  When the coyotes were "run" out of the area, the raccoon population exploded.  Many soon were ill with distemper that spread like wildfire throughout the entire area.  Not a day went by that we did not find several ill or already dead coons.  While cats cannot help in that situation, they can help keep the smaller rodents in check.  As for Ms. Put and Ms. Nycto?  They will have free run as long as they like!  Now if Ms. Nycto can only learn to hunt something besides leaves!  Well, maybe that won't be so bad come this fall.  Perhaps her diligent training can help me so I will not have to rake all the leaves!  Ms. Nycto, Leaf Huntress....at least it has a nice ring to it!

The "Cat"astrophe!

  Ok, so I am definitely used to Bayou Cats and not "city-slicker" cats. Not that I have anything against sweet house kitties.  They are delightful but I am more accustomed to cats that can take care of themselves against all odds.  I am used to Ms. Put, the feisty, fickle feline that has resided at the Little Bayou House for the past seventeen years or so.   I am not used to Nycto, the new cat, with her posh ways.  Ms. Put is evidently not used to such a pampered cat either as she and Nycto do not seem to get along too well.  They keep their distance from each other and merely abide one another.  They are definitely NOT friends. 

Nycto on one of her peaceful days.

   Late this evening, I saw a black cat wandering about the hillside. There is nothing unusual about this as both of my cats are black.  Ms. Put is what is called a Tuxedo Cat with the elegant white collar and white paws while Nycto is solid black. Like I said, I did not think much about seeing a black cat slinking about the Bayou or at least not until I saw Ms. Put race across the yard and attack the critter.  Uh oh!  An all out cat fight was in the works!  I had better put a stop to this right now.  I hurried down the hill to fuss at the two cats.  As I neared the duo, one jumped to its feet and turned to stare at me.  Ummm..this was not Nycto. This was not Ms. Put.  This was a huge cat!  Alrighty then.  At that very moment, little Ms. Put pounced on the large, unknown cat!  She snarled and hissed and let the claws fly!  My little dynamo was tearing this thing to pieces!  The large mystery cat tore around the side of the yard behind the persimmon tree and Ms. Put collapsed on the sand beneath the old oak tree.  My kitty!  My poor little kitty!  I ran to check on her.  Whew!  I was relieved to find that she was ok..exhausted but ok.  She stood up and meowed.  Not a loud, menacing meow but rather a soft, cooing meow.  Hmmm?  That seemed odd as did the fact that she stood staring up.  

Tiny Ms. Put getting a well-deserved meal after fending off the huge, menacing stray cat.  

   I followed her gaze up the nearby pine tree to see Nycto high up in the tree.  She had obviously been attacked by the intruding cat and sought refuge in the tall tree.  Oh, no.  Now what?  That cat had no idea how to get back down out of the tree!  She was stuck!  And stuck on a limb about thirty feet up the tree!  Ms. Put had come to the rescue of the very cat that irritated her daily but how in the world was I to come to the rescue of Nycto now?  It was growing darker by the minute and the cat would not come down out of that tree!  I did the only thing that I knew might work.  I called to my son.  He has a way with critters especially cats.  After about an hour, he was able to coax Nycto down the tree.  It was not a pretty descent by any means but at least she came down on her own.  Now comes the problem of what to do about the accosting cat. Trying to corral two outdoor cats that are not congenial in one house overnight might not seem like a big deal but add one terrorizing cat on the outside of the house and it proves to be a predicament.  The snarling, hissing, howling and growling becomes incessant as two cats pace inside the house and one nasty, foul-tempered beast prowls about the yard.

Poor Nycto!  She became stranded in a tall pine tree after being attacked by a marauding stray cat.  Don't worry!  Michael rescued her and all is well now!

  This whole episode comes on the heels of a news story of a cat defending a little boy against an attack by a large dog.  Cats can, and will, take on any critter that they deem a threat.  Usually, the cat wins.  Ms. Put came to the aid of Nycto when she was attacked by the large, intruding cat.  What makes this amazing to me is Nycto is quite large compared to Ms. Put and the intruder was larger still.  Ms. Put is a tiny thing that weighs in about six pounds when she is at her optimum weight.  Nycto is a good nine pounds.  The intruder was nigh on twice the size of Ms. Put but she did not let that faze her one bit.  She stood her ground and fought. Ms. Put was also concerned about her (non) friend, Nycto, after the battle.  She is one tough, little cat!  She is my hero for the day!  Love this kitty!

She ain't no spring chicken!

    She definitely is getting up there in age.  Ms. Put, the cat, is starting to show her age here lately.  Don't get me wrong.  She is still Queen of the Bayou in all ways but she just moves a bit slower, eats a lot less and spends most of her day sleeping under the camellia bush.  Both Michael and I have noticed that she has also mellowed a good bit in the past few months.  It is rare to see her temper fly as much as it has in the past.  My goodness, she has even started tolerating the dog, Ms. Ez!  That, in itself, is worth noting as in the past, she would have bitten off the dog's head if she was so inclined.   As of late, however, she lounges within a few feet of the dog as if she does not notice her presence.

  All of this started just about the time that the new cat, Nycto, made her appearance.  I am not sure if there is any connection between the two or if this is just a mere coincidence. At first, Ms. Put tried to put an end to the intrusion by this other female cat.  There were the nightly fights and daily temper tantrums by both.  After a month or so, this settled into a mutual dislike for each other but, also, a ceasefire by both.  Ms. Put now hangs around the front of the house while Ncyto has taken up residence in the back.  The truce seems to satisfy both so all is well on the hill.  

  Perhaps Ms. Put has decided that her role as Queen can now be taken a bit more seriously.  With a new cat about, she can now spend more time doing regal things like sitting and staring out over the Bay.  She has the opportunity to catch up on her beauty sleep and not be constantly on the prowl.  Her hunting days are limited to whenever she has the whim and not to constantly battle all rodents within the entire county!  Maybe she is ceding some of the duties to this much younger cat and has settled into just being Queen of the Bayou.  At least, I hope this is what has brought on the change.  I really like this cat.  She has been around here for nigh on seventeen years now so is more like family than just a pet.  She has been through thick and thin with us so we will definitely make hers a life of ease if at all possible.

The Wiggler

  Finally, we had a beautiful sunshiny day!  I took full advantage of it and painted windows.  Oh, the fun I had.  (And if you believe that, I will tell you a few more fine tales.)  Actually, I did not mind as these windows are for the greenhouse that my son, Michael, is building.  If I want a greenhouse, I have to expect to do a bit of work.  While I was painting, Michael came around the corner of the house and tried to hand me something. Something I learned long ago when I had little boys is to not eagerly accept all they wish to give you.  This still applies today even with them being grown men. I repeat...do not eagerly accept all that they wish to give you!  One never knows just what might be plopped in the hand!  This time, he tried to hand me a tail.  Yep, a tail.  He had come across a lizard's tail flip-flopping about on the porch and thought it might be great fun to hand the wiggling thing to dear old mom.  Oh, the joys of motherhood!  Ugh!  I declined the gift,

  After a bit, I noticed Nycto, the cat, sitting and very strangely staring at me.  Hmmm.  This I had better investigate.  She was up to something!  I could just feel it.  That was when I saw it.  By "it" I mean the large, tailless lizard!  Poor Broadheaded Skink!  That thing was huge!  Lacking its tail, it was still nearly six inches long!  Nycto had obviously "de-tailed" the critter as she tried to catch it.  Now the lizard sat pinned beneath her paw as she sat staring at me.  Hey, Cat. You caught the thing, now YOU do something with it!.  She purred softly at me.  The lizard slowly tried to slip from beneath the paw.  Even with my bad eyes, I saw the claws extend from the paw.  The lizard was impaled.  Once again, poor lizard!  I tried to shoo the cat away from her prize.  Nothing doing.  She was not in the mood to release the prey.  I tried to pick up her paw.  Well now!  That did not work!  The lizard was still impaled on her claw and no matter how it much it wiggled, the claw was not letting go!  Ok..ugh!  Here goes!  I grabbed the lizard and freed it from the cat's grip!  Doggone it!  That sucker bit me!  I was just trying to help and now I had a lizard clinging to my forefinger! And for a lizard, that thing actually hurt! I swung my hand back away from me sending the lizard sailing through the air!  At the same time, Nycto leapt after the lizard and impaled it once again!  There was just no winning here.

  Nycto played with the lizard for about an hour before I heard a familiar crunch.  Ugh, again!  She ate the thing!  Well, it served the lizard right! Karma was at work once again!  That lizard bit the hand that was trying to free it so it was only proper that the cat came to my defense!  The wiggler was no more. 

One from the Night.

  While indoor cats may prowl about the house at night, it would be easy to say that most have been trained to be more active during the day.  Outdoor cats, on the other hand, tend to be both diurnal and nocturnal.  Whichever suits the needs of the cat directs their activity patterns.  Ms. Put loves to snooze in the warm sunshine and hunt most of the night.  She will come inside when the weather is inclement but invariably about midnight, she is howling to be let outside once again.  She is a huntress and knows that most rodents forage by the light of the moon.  As we start stirring about at daybreak, it is not unusual to find where she has left us several corpses.  These are intended as gifts (or perhaps she is totally disgusted with what we eat and tries to improve our diets!).  Anyway the point being, cats love the nighttime hours!

  Now enters a new feline.  A gorgeous, long-haired cat has been hanging around the shed for the past few days.  This cat is jet black!  As a rule, I have a tendency to name anything that stays around the Little Bayou House more than one day so I pondered a suitable name for this new friend.  Inky?  Midnight? Ebony?  Nothing seemed to be an apt name for the cat.  This was a fine, sophisticated cat after all and no common name would be proper.

  Then a few days ago, my cousin popped something on a social network that clicked.  She had posted a definition for nyctophilia which is supposedly a name given to those who love nighttime.  That started me thinking just what nycto meant.  I asked Michael.  He is my "go-to" man when I have a question that involves "smarts".  "Nycto is a Greek word meaning night.  It usually is a prefix describing something related to night or darkness." he informed me!  Ahhh, yes!  My lovely, sophisticated cat now had its name!  Nycto!  (pronounced Nick Toe even though my cat does not have a nicked toe!)  So now every time I see the new cat, I say its name...Nycto.  Since Nycto has not snarled, hissed or bitten off my hand yet, I assume that the name is satisfactory.  Hopefully, Nycto will decide that the Little Bayou House is a nice home.  It would be nice to have another cat around the hillside to help Ms. Put with her quest of eradicating the voles and rice rats.  My only concern would be explaining the new cat's name to the veterinary office staff.  With the other two critters named Ms. Put and Ms. Ez, Nycto seems a bit different!  Although when I think of the true names of the other two, Puddy Tat and Esmeralda, this does not seem too strange!  Darling daughter, Elizabeth, named the other two.  I merely shortened the names and gave them their "titles" but Nycto...now that is a name with class!