I was taking photos of birds in the yard – northern cardinals, Japanese white-eyes, and saffron finches – when I noticed that I wasn’t the only one watching them intently. A neighbor’s black cat was following their every move, until it realized that it wasn’t the only one doing that. Then it turned its stare on me.
A gray francolin and it’s chick blend in well with the scrubby grassland they inhabit. Life is hard for the chicks of any bird on the island. Mongooses and rats are an ever-present menace as are cats, such as the one on the left, eyeing a potential meal.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘All About Pets.’ (See more offerings here.) I don’t currently have a pet, but at work, we have several cats, formerly feral, but now fixed, shot, and chipped.
One of these cats is Sunshine. I’ve posted photos of her here. In this photo, she’s about to do a little personal grooming and looks none too pleased to have someone pointing a camera at her.
A cat rests in some tall grass, ready to take off if danger threatens, or pounce if some bird is unwise enough to come too close.
This is Papa, looking rather regal in the dappled light beneath a slatted bench.
This is Sunshine, once a feral cat, now somewhat domesticated. Her right ear has been clipped to show she’s been spayed. She’s also been chipped and had her shots. And while she can be affectionate, especially when she’d like to be fed, she’s not above slashing wrists if she feels like it. A cat to handle with care, perhaps.
A couple of feral cats, of which there are many on the island. These cats are prolific breeders and while there are some spay and neuter programs here, the number of feral animals doesn’t seem to go down.
Posted in response to this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge ‘Prolific.’
While out walking, I saw three, probably feral, kittens by the side of the road. When they saw me, they promptly rushed into the tall grasses bordering the road. I waited a while and this ghostly kitten duly reemerged, sat down, and fixed me in its icy blue stare.
I took a few photos and went to turn off my camera, but it wouldn’t respond. Instead, the screen broke into a display of blue flashes. I had to pop the battery out to end the show. When I put the battery in again and turned the camera on, it worked fine. I looked back at the kitten. It hadn’t moved, still staring.
A glitch in the electronics? Or something more sinister? Hmm.
