Tabby Cat

I wonder if you remember me mentioning a tabby cat that has been spotted in these parts here and there since February.  I will refer to this cat as “it” since I don’t know if “it” is male or female.  I first saw this cat the first of February.  It was hunting in the field across from my house.  I set my trap for several days, but the cat wasn’t seen again.  I gave up and assumed it was just passing through.  Then, starting mid-February, we had three big snows.  And after each of these, I discovered cat prints in the snow.  So I started setting my trap again.  The temperatures were frigid, so I could only set the trap when I was able to check it every few minutes.  No animal should sit in a trap in such terrible conditions.  I never caught the cat and when the snow melted there was no more opportunity to see tracks.  But at the end of February, Husband saw the cat cross our driveway.  He raced outside, but the cat had disappeared.   I won’t go back over the details of every time this cat was spotted, but there have been multiple sightings.  Once, Younger Daughter caught sight of the tabby eating just outside of her back door where she puts out food for the opossums.  And Older Daughter saw the cat in a field as she was driving one morning.  AND – you know how Older Daughter is a wildlife rehabber.  She is up in the middle of the night feeding babies during wildlife baby season.  One night (morning actually) around 2am, she was sitting on her couch feeding baby wildlife and she saw movement on her deck.  Sitting right outside her sliding glass door was the tabby cat – looking in.  She got up very slowly and hoped to coax it indoors.  But as soon as the cat registered movement inside, it shot away.   Each daughter has seen the cat at least one additional time beyond what I’ve just reported.  We are all worried about this kitty.  But we have no idea how to get it.  You would think since it’s been SIX months since the first sighting, we should give up the possibility that this cat is still around.  But if you remember the story of the Wisher Theo – my first sighting of him was one July.  And it was December when I finally got him.

And . . .

There’s been another sighting of the tabby cat!  And this time, I got pictures!!

A couple of weeks ago, there were three VERY tiny skunks at the edge of my property near the West Woods.  I told Older Daughter about them and that it was odd that I saw no mom skunk.  Older said that skunk babies definitely either stay in the den or stay with mom when they venture out.  I saw them three nights in a row and there was never a mom skunk.  So I started putting out food in the area where I continued to see them.  I have now not seen them at all for over a week and a half.  But I still walk to that spot every evening and put the food out.  I know those baby skunks are not the ones eating that food, but something is eating there.  So I continue.  Last Friday evening as I was walking to the spot to dump out the “wild animal feast,” I suddenly realized that I had seen something to my right that didn’t belong.  Have you ever done this?  You glance at something you are familiar with, and you turn away.  But your brain registers that something is off.  As I looked back at the spot to my right, THERE WAS THE TABBY CAT.  Frozen.  It was down in a little gully that leads to the gravel road, and it had adequately flattened itself in an attempt to keep me from seeing it.  I slowly pulled out my phone and got some pictures.  Then I started talking ever so quietly and gently.  I took a couple of steps towards it.  It did not move one muscle.  But when I took one more step, it shot off into some grass and then directly into the woods.  Gone.

So.   I am back to setting my trap.  Friends, please keep your fingers crossed.

 

I was pretty far away when I first noticed the cat.

 

 

Look right between the trees.

 

Took a couple of steps and got this pic and then it was gone.

 

Fingers crossed!!

See you tomorrow for a Wildlife Wednesday.

 

Comments

[The Florida Furkids]

Good luck!!!

The Florida Furkids

[Ginny& the Fur Family]

Eyes in the night. Maybe you could set several traps around the property and The cat would go into one of them because it got hungry. I am sure you will catch this tabby very soon. Poor thing it is so afraid and doesn't know you are trying to help it. Cats out side do not live a long time and there are night hawks and animals who will catch and eat little cats. Do not give up and we are all praying you catch the tabby and make it a wisher.

[Timmy Tomcat]

Hope you can find Tabby again and maybe even get it TNR!

[Mary McNeil]

Hope you can get the tabby - and the baby skunks turn up with Mom.

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Come on tabby cat, get yourself in that trap and come into the good life!!!

Don't forget that Winnie's Wish can always use donations and wish list items! Help if you can!

[John Bellen]

Crap, your eyesight is good! The best of luck in catching him. If he was looking in to your daughter's house, he was probably a housecat at one time.

[Maria in FL]

If anyone can get "it", you can, Chrystal! Good luck!!!

[meowmeowmans]

Ooh! Good luck trapping that tabby kitty!

We hope you are able to rescue the baby skunks, too.