Shed Buddies

Meet "Funny Ears" - a feral cat that lives in the drive shed that belongs to one of my  neighbours who has become a friend.

There are five in the "shed buddy" clan - that's what my friend calls the cats that have found her lovely home in the country. They are the luckiest of feral cats. They don't come near, nor allow my friend to touch them, but they stick around. Probably because they have regular food, though occasionally the opossum that recently  has moved in to the shed tries to take most of it.

 They also have a heated water dish and two choices of housing, even though the shed itself is far more protection than many feral cats have. But this particular group of cats live together with an insulated and roomy dog house inside the shed and also a home made of  straw bales - which can be toasty warm in the coldest weather.

These three are the rest of the Shed Buddies except for one: "Little Kittie"  a puss that my friend didn't expect to survive her early days, she came to them in such bad shape. Now, because of the good care she's received she is doing fine thank you very much. My friend's photo of her is too blurry to post - but I'll drop by and see what we can do between us to get that little gal outside and get a picture. These three are called Tippy Canoe - he's in the foreground and you can barely see against the snow, the white tip of his tail which earned him his name. Behind him is Black and White - which while not original is perfect for this aristocratic baby... and then Snuffleguts nearest the shed - what a name! My friend doesn't lack for originality nor for a kind and generous heart.

She locks up the cat food at night these days though - because Mr. Possum is taking more than his share. And she also locks up the shed in the evening to keep prowling coyotes away. She saw one on her walk with her dog the other day. It was on the other side of the road and a bit further down, but a tad unnerving for her all the same.

While many of my blog posts are about birds, the outdoors, and all the wonderful things about nature (including our pets) that I am passionate about, I also love the opportunity to talk about the kindness of others towards those less fortunate. My friend/neighbour and her husband, as do many others that I know, care for these creatures who may have been dumped off at their side road as infants or wandered to their farm by accident. Too often in both urban and rural environments, people ignore the plight of feral cats, and stray dogs as well.

So here's a tip of the hat to my friend and her husband. I hope their example inspires others to help critters in need in some way.

The guardians

Well, contrary to the heading on today's post, these two aging but lovable donkeys don't appear to be guardians or defenders of anything much.

However I did want to talk a bit about donkeys as guardians today and as innovative solutions to problems. Driving around the countryside, I've come across some local organic farms. One raises sheep... and in the sheep pens are also a horse and a donkey. The donkey is the guardian against predators particularly coyotes.

Interestingly, I haven't heard our local coyotes crying to each other at dusk as I always have in past years. I'm very afraid that a bounty was placed on these important keepers of  ecosystem balance or some old-tyme farmers have gotten together and decided to wipe them out.

Perhaps they are denning. I certainly hope that's the case.

Donkeys hate coyotes and are wonderful protectors against them. They are all that a farmer usually needs. Being herd animals, donkeys stay with the other animals. Their sharp hooves are deadly protection and they will attack coyotes. That sheep farm has huge pastures, far from the house... the donkey is always in the field with the sheep...

Without coyotes, we will have an excess of moles and other tiny rodents, rabbits, groundhogs and similar vegetation eating critters. Coyotes themselves are part of the ecosystem that we humans need to think about protecting not changing. The moles, voles and other small rodents did a lot of damage to trees, lawns, and gardens this past snow season. And it was in deep winter that I stopped hearing coyotes.

It makes me very sad that humans feel the need to take a gun to solve problems...not only in the country against animals, but around the world against each other.

Donkeys are an example of a peaceful solution that can be found for most problems with a bit of ingenuity, creative and out-of-the-box thinking.

My you find a creative solution to any problem you face today.