A New Addition to Stauffer – Part 1
Living on the outskirts of town allows for very quiet backyards. Over time Dennis had noticed some stray cats that would come by to check us out. After he began putting out cat food, they regularly came by for nourishment. In the heart of winter the trail from the east would be evident as they found their way to our patio for food and water from the heated water dish. They had been on their own for so long this was their port in the storm. Appreciative as the cats are for food and water, they have never let us get near enough to touch them.
This spring one of the stray cats that was prone to hanging out in our lilacs brought her kittens to our patio. She must have known the four kittens were more than she herself could take care of. We had no idea where she had birthed them. As quickly as they appeared on our patio for food and water, they would disappear for the day or days. As hard as we would try the kittens refused to have anything to do with us. As sad as it was, the family of four kittens diminished to a family of one. The mother cat continued to come and go with just the single kitten. Dennis noticed that when the kitten became engrossed in playing in the flowers, the mother would take her leave. This began to be a frequent event. She was giving notice that the “mothering days” was over.
Day after day Dennis would take time to sit on the patio with ends of rope and try to entice the kitten to interact. Sure enough, the cat whisperer was making headways. One of the doors into the garage porch was left open during the day to see just how curious this kitten would be. We never made any attempt to catch it or chase it. What I didn’t know was that Dennis had put a rug on the floor of the car garage in the event the kitten would wander in and feel safe in the darkness of the garage that is connected to the porch.
I am the last to rise in the mornings. I am barely awake as I stumble out to the garage porch with coffee cup in hand. Not long ago, as I was heading to my rocking chair in the porch to join Dennis, he motioned me with his finger to his lips to peek into the garage. There on the rug was this little yellow ball of fur curled up, napping. Precious.
We have Honey Bunny as a garage cat. Honey Bunny was a kitten brought to our patio from a stray mama cat. She is now four years old and very territorial. We had no idea how it would sit with Honey Bunny to have company in the porch. We decided to let things play out on their own. 
Honey Bunny comes and goes from the porch into the gardens at will. We never had any intention to keep the cat penned up and when she had her visit to the vet for shots and to be spayed the claws remained so she could protect herself. Usually Honey Bunny heads for home at night to sleep in her favorite box, which is above the Ford pickup on the rafters.
It didn’t take long and the sun beckoned the little kitten to sleep in one of the chairs in the porch. When Honey Bunny strolled in there was hissing and a few howls. The kitten scattered and hid in the garage but never ran outside to run away.
No longer the frightened little kitten, Butter Ball has
flourished and he loves the garage porch.
The little kitten is now Butter Ball. Dennis tied a little play fur mouse to an end of string and Butter Ball loves to play with it. Slowly, but totally determined, Dennis has won the heart of his little guy. Butter Ball loves to have his back brushed . . . with Honey Bunny’s brush. One of the screened patio doors is always left ajar and now we have two cats that come and go at will. Butter Ball spends a lot of time in the porch sprawled on any of the chairs as if reminding Honey Bunny just how nice the lifestyle in the porch is.
This morning at eight, Butter Ball was delivered to the vet’s clinic. I played the bad cop of putting her into a carrier. I didn’t want Butter Ball to equate this event to his buddy, Dennis. Butter Ball will have all the necessary shots and be neutered to enjoy a wonderful life here on Stauffer. I think I can safely say a life of leisure in the garage porch with Honey Bunny. Their relationship is mellowing. After all, who is the adult animal caregiver here? Suck it up Honey Bunny.
The mama cat still comes and goes for food and water. She has been visiting us for three years and she may never warm up to us to allow us to touch her. If she did, she also would visit the vet’s clinic. It saddens me to see her carrying kittens when she herself was just a mere kitten when she had her first litter.
At three this afternoon we will go and bring Butter Ball home. I know from previous visits that Honey Bunny has had at the vet’s clinic, the carrier will be opened and the cat will scat and hide from the fright of being in the carrier for a car ride and the procedures at the clinic. More info will follow on Butter Ball and the days here on Stauffer.
In life, please remember to give and have no remembrance of it, or take and remember it always.