Its been a week since my last post, and there are several developments. Although the cats are still wary, they are getting used to me. Several are there waiting for me when I bring food, and I see them watching me in between times. And they approach us. Not closely, but enough to watch and see what we are doing. The most interesting thing that is happening is that several of the cats are starting to come to MY side of the food bowls after eating, to clean and doze, rather than the far side of the food bowls.
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| The tabbies, eating |
I haven't seen all the tabbies the last few nights. Bob is always there, waiting for me, along with Sally Rose. Bob watches me while I am there, either with my book or my camera. Logan came later last night, but Tiger I have not seen in four or five days.
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| Bob, watching me |
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| Frank, dozing after eating |
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| Frank and Cookie, who are always together |
Frank and Cookie are always together. They eat out of the same dish most of the time. After eating, Frank walks over to a patch of sun and dozes. Cookie comes closer to me, about 3 feet or so, and sits and cleans herself.....she skitters back and forth between the patch close to me and over to sit with Frank. They both have started talking. Frank has a yowl which he lets out every once in a while, and Cookie has a quiet meow.
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| Sally Rose, watching the others eat |
Sally is the other cat that is curious about us. She will approach, and sit, just out of reach and watch us. I think she will be the first to really come close and make contact. I have not heard her meow, but she seems comfortable in my presence, dozing.
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| Laura, our latest colony addition |
Laura was one of the first cats I trapped. Then after I brought her back, she disappeared. I saw her at a distance about five days ago, lurking until I left the feeding area. A couple of nights, she came with the four (Bob and Sally, Frank and Cookie), and waited until they started eating, then after they were done, she approached the dishes. Last night, she cautiously approached while they were eating. Frank stopped eating, they touched heads, then she ate with Frank and Cookie, although there were bowls of food available with no one eating from them.
It is interesting to read about feral colonies and compare my set of cats to the "standard". I think I may have a mix of strays and feral. And the fact that it may be a patriarchal group, as all the females are younger. But, I am not sure if the "leader" is Bob or Frank...... I never see any fighting, but Bob wants no one to eat out of the same bowl with him, although Frank will let the other cats eat after they rub heads. It is also interesting that the females will often share bowls, although there are enough for all of them to be eating out of their own bowl.
Stay tuned for more on the Puryear cat community. I am naming it thus, as we live on the "old Puryear place"
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