Rufus

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Rufus has taken centre stage in our lives. At the ripe old age of 6 months he’s enjoying and exploring life. Living in the countryside has it’s perks and it’s problems…the perks are many and include: nice fresh air, clean water and a big territory to call ones own..the downside is it’s huge enough to get lost in and there is plenty of other wildlife around which might like to make a meal of a little gray kitten.
so with the perks and the problems in mind, T. and I, as temporary parents, must escort Rufus out into the wide world of the backyard and try to keep him happy and safe while he’s enjoying himself. Not always easy…the older and bolder he gets.
As his horizons have widened, Rufus has become an expert at many different pursuits. On his first, or was it his second, foray he actually caught an unsuspecting chipmunk, and “mom”, the big meany, had to take it away from him… He wasn’t hungry…just playful and thought he’d found the ideal toy to batter and toss! Just yesterday he found the nest of fieldmice down in the front flower bed and made off with one of the poor creatures. He hides under the back deck, and once again, plays with his food. Uggghhh. He probably hasn’t been really hungry in all his young life and thinks it’s great sport…I finally separated him from his victim and brought him indoors, only to find the little mouse in the middle of the front yard…expired. Poor thing…I just couldn’t come to his aid fast enough.
Bees and dragonflies, sparrows and robins, Rufus watches intently…tip of the tail flicking..eyebrows twitching…someday I’m going to have to intervene for a bird, I’m sure, as Rufus has perfected the coiled spring attack and is just waiting for the chance to use it.

Last autumn, I spotted a large garter snake who had made it’s home under the floorboards of the greenhouse. This spring I’ve seen her progeny in many areas, mostly around the stones I’ve been digging out of the earth…I’m just waiting for Rufus to make her acquaintance! Yesterday was jam packed with excitement, his “adventures” included pouncing on a hornet…and came away with a watery and swollen eye. He looked like he was learing with the heavy eyelid. One more lesson learned.
Reminded me of Mandy’s passion for bumble bees…she would SNAP them in midflight…and chewing like it was a hot morsel…chomp, chomp…gulp…and the bee was history. Theorized that it was some dietary deficiency she was remedying, like eating long grass or dandelion roots?…Rufus has discovered dietary bulk and chomps happily on the long grass…then leaves the leaves and some hairballs on the rug. One of the perks of cat ownership…at least he’s not leaving mouse parts.
His latest passion is tree climbing, his favourite tree is the black walnut, near the backdoor. Digging his back feet in for better traction he whips across the back yard, “full tilt boogie”, and races up the tree trunk like we might climb a flight of stairs.

Once in the tree top he scopes out any insects or birds or bees or whatever…and pursues it along branches that you would think couldn’t hold his weight.
Early this morning I had to relieve my OH on Rufus duty and took my camera with me to record Rufus’ tree exploits. “Dad” just doesn’t have the patience that I have to sit and wait while Rufie does his thing up top.
With the strange freeze-thaw weather early this spring, and the drought conditions of the present time, the walnut has considerably fewer nuts forming than it had last year…and as a result Rufus doesn’t have to compete with squirrels for limb space. Fortunate for the squirrels as he sharpens his claws and his skills on bees, butterflies, dragonflies and mice…
The attached pics record my lovely cat having a great romp (and rest) in his favourite tree.

• 16 Jul, 2012
• 10 likes

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