I finally let them go... - Page 3

3/4/08

Last night, I discovered setting on my catcam was not right. It was set to disable motion detection from 11:59PM – 7AM!! That is why there was no footage of cat during the night!
After correcting this feature, camera started to capture their activities during the night.

All three kits are active all night long. I could clearly see all three of them come and go.
I noticed Torao wondering around during daytime and found dry food in the cat house. They must live in my yard.

There is no Konne sighting…
I came home during lunch hour and visited all three houses in font of my house. There was no sign of Konne. I couldn’t even see possible hiding place under any of them. House directly in front of mine has a dog. Deck had dog poop all over. I don’t think Konne would go under it.

I wonder why she doesn’t show herself. I heard some mom cats move on after kits get old enough. I wonder she decided to do so… I hope she is safe.

3/5/08

Urrgh! Raccoon!!!
I saw him eye to eye.


Torao was out eating wet food earlier, but I was wondering why others were not coming out quick tonight. We have computer monitor right next to siding door. I was standing there browsing, and there he was, looking at me!! I banged on the window and opened the door as quick as I could. I hope he won’t be back… I could have scared kitties, too...
He was a big guy. He is much bigger than cat. I put wet food inside of cat house. I hope raccoon won’t try to go in there.

I wonder if Konne left because of raccoon???

3/9/08

Day started with Torako wondering around my back porch. She was drinking water. I opened the door and she ran to the bush. I put fresh dry food out and closed the door. She quickly came to investigate, but one sniff and walked away. I could clearly see her going under garden gate, so I watched where she was headed. She cautiously crossed our side street and disappeared in to neighbor’s backyard. I was little sad to see her do that. I guess their territory is bigger than my property. I hope they identify my backyard as their home base.

In the evening, Torako was the first one to show for dinner. But I didn’t see anybody else tonight. I was worried about raccoons getting in to wet food. So I put it on top of bowlful of dry food and left it in the cat house.
After for a while, Torako came by again. I was right at the door. She gave me a look and sat down there. I clearly understood that she is demanding more food. I slowly opened the door. She didn’t move. I think she was expecting me to open the door. She came up to me and sniffed my nose! I kept telling her to go in to the cat house. Then she sensed something out in the yard and took off. After I left, she came back and went in to the cat house and cleaned up wet food.

I wonder where the other two are. It brings back the memory of the day I trapped them. We were all ready to trap our cats and Torako was the only one to show for dinner. Next day, I trapped her, but still no other cats. Torako was clearly left behind while they took field trip somewhere.

There are no raccoons yet tonight. Their rear end is little too big for cat house opening. So, I am leaving dry food on the upper level inside. Last night, they pulled all the toys and blankets from inside but couldn’t get to food. I hope they will give up and not to bother us anymore.

3/11/08

Torako was the first one to show again. She has been coming for dinner around 6:30 for 3 days now.
Other kits always come to eat, but they may not show themselves. They always come to eat during the night. I only get to see them from the catcam pictures. I wonder where they stay during the day... They always disappear in to my neighbor's yard across the side street. I want them to settle in my yard, but if they don't feel conformable to do so, I understand.

Mr. Scar the raccoon came to eat while we were at the table.
Yes, we gave him a name. He has a scar on his back. Thus my daughter named him "Scar". I wanted my daughter to see him in person. (She has only seen him in video) So, I sat there calm, and called her to come down. My daughter and I sat there and watched him eat. He eats very funny. We let him eat little bit, but took food inside. I kept sending him mental message that he is not welcome here. But at the same time, we are adoring him. I am sure he is picking up on that.
I wonder what cats think about him. So far, Mr. Scar has not break in to cat house yet. Cats have food to themselves inside there.

When Torako came for second, I opened the door. She didn't mind. I was able to pet her, too. I don't think she liked it very much, though. I hand fed quite bit of treat. She enjoyed it.
Oh, how I miss them!! It was such a joy to see Torako and Torao in my yard in daylight. I am more hopeful to see the day when they all come to me for dinner.

3/18/08

It looks like Torako has been around all day.
Catcam recording shows her visit every 4 hours or so.
I wonder if she is busy exploring which makes her hungry more.
I am noticing daddy cat is visiting us onece a day.
I wonder where his home is...

He is a big guy and looks well fed.

We didn't get home until 7 pm and I could see Torako was wondering where the wet food was.
When she is not in my yard, I wonder how far she goes away...
I usually call cats quite loud, but she didn't come until 9PM.

I have been reading a book about animal communication. It talks a lot about meditation and it is helping me relax.
So, I have decided to take animal communication workshop in May.
I really miss having cats in the house. But I believe I did a right thing to let my ferals go out.
They seem more happy out there away from humans.
My daughter and I are frequently visiting animal shelters to pet cats.
Today, we visited county animal shelter and it was a sad sight. Compared to humane society near by, this shelter is dirty and animals are all in small cages.
Recently, county animal shelter has been cited for being not good enough. I wonder if shelter like this is common?

3/20/08

It was a good day.
Day started with Torako and ended with Torako.
I saw her going in to the cat house while I was making breakfast. So, I opened the door and gave her little treat.
It looks like she came back again around 9:30am, but didn't care to eat the leftover treat.
Then, she came back again around 5PM. We got home shortly after that.
I knew she was still around, so I called her eventhough I didn't have any food out there yet.
She came and on the porch and waited for me!!
It was so nice.

I noticed something from last night video capture.
There was one occasion when Torako was trying to go in to the cat house but quickly backed off as if someone in there pounced at her or hissed at her.
I wonder if Torako is not accepted by Torao and Torami anymore??
I clearly see Torako's daily activity pattern being different from the other two.
I never see other kits in daytime while Torako visits my yard few times during day light hours.
I see Torao and Torami coming together, but never with Torako... She is always alone.

I remember when I trapped her, she was rejected by Konne. Just 2 days of separation was enough to do that.
I rubbed back Konne's scent back on Torako and Konne and they were re-united that time.

3/24/08

I was cleaning the cat house today and did little modification.
As soon as I was done, Torako came by and sniffing the tools I left there.
We had sliding door wide open, too. It was so nice to see her come like that.
I quickly brought her dish out. She waited nicely right by us.
As soon as we opened the can, she was all over.
She also played with my daughter little bit and moved on to the neighbor's yard.
Later, Torao came to join Torako for the rest of wet food. Torao seems to be coming out earlier now and they are still getting along together.
I never see Torami with naked eyes. If I didn't have catcam, I wouln't have known if she is still around.
I hope she would feel comfortable enough to come out in front of us.

Hi Katie,

According to Hilary, Konne still likes me and feels my love, but she didn't like rambunctiousness of my daughter. So, she decided to be on her own.
My daughter is very well mannered, but still a 8 year old kid.
Hilary said Konne seems to be doing good and she is very street savvy. She said Konne is staying near by and I may even see her.
I believe she would come visit when she feels like it.
She knows she is always welcome at my yard.

3/26/08

I put wet food out at usual time and Torako was the first one to show as usual. She cleaned up whole can of Friskies. Dry food was all gone, so she must have been hungry since morning. We gave her little salmon from our dinner. She enjoyed it.
It’s unseasonably cold tonight and we are having little snow sprinkles.
Cats are not using cat house as a place to cuddle up. They are mainly using it as a feeding station. I hope little modification I made will make them feel more comfortable to stay there longer.
I am sure Mr. Scar is still around, but I don’t see him disturbing cat house past few days. I saw him wondering around at 10AM in the morning last weekend, though. I wonder what it means….

3/29/08

It was snowing heavy last night. (well, heavy for Seattle standard!)

When I was ready to go to bed, there came Mr. Scar!!
I watched him for a while. He looked very hungry.
He also acquired new scar. It almost looks like something tried to chew off his tail. It looked bad.
Bad news is that he managed to go inside of cat house. Modification I did made it easier for him to go in.
I already changed the layout side this morning. I hope that made it harder for him to go in there. We will see how it goes.

Because Mr. Scar stayed around most of the night, cat only showed up once or twice.
There was footage of cat and raccoon encounter!! They didn’t get in to conflict.

I have to think of some way to make Mr. Scar to go away so cats will feel safer.

Here are the pictures I took of Torako yesterday.
Spring is finally here!!! (for now....)


Here, she is looking at humming bird on the branch.
She is really interested in them.

4/6/08

Sigh… Mr. Scar is still around. And he stole a mouse Torao brought for us!!
Cat cam footage clearly showed Torao dropping mouse at the porch. Then, few hours later, Mr. Scar showed up. He didn’t try to go inside of cat house, but quickly found mouse. It looked like he gobbled it up. Mr. Scar also dug up part of lawn I planted yesterday.

Torako got to eat fancy feast twice! She is such a nice girl.
At dinner time, she always comes when I call. I think she is staying in my neighbor’s yard, though.
Later on, I put out a scrap parts from roast chicken for them. I called Torako but she didn’t come until much later.

Thanks CC12. I still miss them, though. I miss petting them and playing with them. I long for more interaction with them…. Torako comes nose to nose distance to us, but she doesn't like to be petted. She goes back her den somewhere out side of my yard.
After all, they are barn cats and I should accept how they are….
I miss having indoor kitty pet so much that I am starting to look for one to adopt. My husband is overly worried about his allergy but he said OK to Russian Blue…. But adult Russian Blue is very hard to come by….. I am not in hurry to adopt one, though. When right one comes in right timing, we will get one.

4/8/08

Mr. Scar made it in to the cat house!!! But he doesn't do that every night.
Torako got to eat Fancy Feat twice again. Both my husband and daughter were down with flu. So I stayed home yesterday.
Compared to other 2 kits, she must be eating more. She is not "FAT", but she looks more full than other two.
It was nice day yesterday and I saw Torako sitting in my patio enjoying cherry blossoms. It was such an nice sight. I hope other kits come out like she does and relax in my yard some day...