Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Permaculture Embassador

Alex has slowly been wooing a stray cat, Little Prince and Fox style. He was skittish at first, but once food was involved he couldn't pretend to be aloof anymore.


He also proved defenseless against stick waved in front of his face.


It wasn't long before he was in the house.


Then he was judging me from outside the window when I wouldn't let him in.

Although that doesn't happen very often.

He sleeps in a bed as if he was born to it.


A couch is acceptable too.


I'm happy to let him relax. He's been working hard. I'm going to assume that he killed this rat up in the chicken coop. I've been leaving the coop open since it's empty, hoping that the cat would prowl around in there and scare them away. I think it's working. I haven't seen or heard any in a while.


In the beginning I didn't really have anything against the rats. I think that they were just living up on the hill and became opportunists when the chicken food arrived. I wouldn't have begrudged them a little food but they make such a mess. They go to the bathroom everywhere and shred everything that isn't too hard for them to chew. It seems worth it to have a four footed deterrent around. The cat is like organic vermicide, like a silent cog in the permaculture machine.


We call him Fancy Face. He has a rather unfortunate arrangement of features. One eye is a little squinty and the vet says he has a cleft lip. I thought he had just been in a rumble and had his lip torn but he doesn't seem to mind it, even when his tongue and tooth stick out. As long as he can pounce effectively that's all I care about. OK, maybe I like it when he sits on my lap and purrs too.

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