STRAY CAT STRUT-THE CASE OF THE ORANGE CAT

BY PETE HOLLY-COPYRIGHT-2008



EVERY SPRING FERAL CATS START TO CONGRAGATE AROUND OUR APARTMENT

COMPLEX.YOU USUALLY ONLY SEE 3 OR 4 OF THEM AT A TIME BUT YOU CAN TELL

BY THIER LOOK'S THAT THERE'S ABOUT 20 OR SO DIFFERANT CATS.THEN EVERY FALL THEY DISAPPEAR AND WE GET A NEW BATCH THE NEXT SPRING.THERE IS ONE

CAT WHO IS DIFFERANT.SHE'S ORANGE AND SHE HAD A LITTER OF SIX OR SEVEN

KITTENS IN ONE OF THE PLANTER 2 SUMMERS AGO.SOMEONE CALLED THE ANIMAL

CONTROL PEOPLE AND THEY CAME AND PICKED UP SOME OF THE CATS.BUT SPRING OF LAST YEAR THE ORANGE MOTHER CAT WAS STILL HERE AND SHE STILL HAD TWO OF HER OFFSPRING WHO WERE NOW ALLMOST AS BIG AS SHE.I KNEW SHE HAD

MADE IT ALONE THRU THE WINTER BEFORE THAT-THE ONLY CAT I'VE EVER SEEN DO THAT.SO NOW SHE HAD MADE IT THRU TWO WINTERS AND GOT HER BABIES THRU THE WINTER SOMEHOW TOO.THIS IS ONE SMART CAT.IT'S BELOW,USUALLY

WAY BELOW FREEZING AT NIGHT FOR AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS OUT OF YEAR HERE

IN BOISE-SO FERAL CATS THAT CAN SURVIVE SUCCESIVE WINTERS ARE EXTREMLY

RARE.IN FACT THIS IS THE ONLY ONE I'VE EVER SEEN MAKE IT.SO WHAT WAS HER

SECRET.SHE AND NOW HER BABIIES TOO HIDE IN THE WARM ENGINE COMPARTMENTS OF THE CARS AS PEOPLE ARRIVE HOME AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.WHEN THE ENGINE THEY ARE ON COOLS OFF THEY SIMPLY MOVE TO A NEWER ARRIVAL WHOSE ENGINE IS STILL NICE AND TOASTY.IF YOU ASK
ME THESE ARE SOME PRETTY DAMN SMART CAT'S-NO WONDER THEY STRUT.