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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Freckles


You'll need the back story for this post! :)

A few weeks before we traveled to Pennsylvania for
Taylor and Lauren's wedding, we had a pet door installed
at the back of the house. 

 When he read about that door, my friend, Keith, sent me a link to
a British documentary about a fascinating study on cats and
 their habits.  It's about The Cat Village, Shamley Green.
Part of the study revealed that cats in the neighborhood
tend to let themselves into other homes via the 'cat
flap' to eat from the cat dish while the homeowner's 
cat is out prowling at night!  We laughed at that, but said
 that since we seem to 'own' all the neighborhood
cats, that probably wouldn't happen.  
With our luck, we'll get a possum coming in some day. lol...
But instead...we got this little lady...



About a month ago, in the evening, this little cat was outside my kitchen
window.  It was a nice night and the window was open.  When
I said hello to her, she ran around to the cat flap and came inside!
Obviously, she'd used it before!
She's friendly, sweet, skinny and hungry.
She looks to be nursing a litter of kittens.

She was familiar with our house, that's for sure!
She knew right where the food and water was.
She even made a bee-line to the back of the house and used
the litter box...obviously she knew her way around! ha ha.

The second visit was the funniest!
It was late...almost midnight.
We'd closed up the house and turned off the lights.
The Mister was in bed reading and I was in the bathroom
getting ready to take a shower.  He calls out to me and says,
"Hey, Hon! Come and see who just came in and jumped on the bed!"
It was Freckles!  She had let herself in through the cat flap!
I guess she'd put the 'kids' to bed and was out
 and about on her own for the night.


And this visit I caught on camera...just happened to have
my camera on my bedside table!  One morning, very early,
The Mister was in the shower and I was sitting in bed
drinking coffee.  I didn't take much notice when a
 cat jumped on the bed.  It's usually Jack.
But no...it was Freckles! ha ha.

We still haven't seen her litter, but suspect it may 
show up eventually.  

So now we know for sure that the cat gossip chain is
up and running!  "Are you in need?  Go to the Brocks!
The little grey house with the cat flap in the back!"

The British Documentary has been removed from
youtube, unfortunately.  I was planning on sharing it with you!




See why I named her Freckles?

61 comments:

  1. She is wonderful Betsy...and to be so tame...glad she found your house. Brace yourself...hopefully she only has a couple of kittens and not 6 or 7!

    She looks a bit like one of the original Momma's you had...the one that had some kittens stashed outside Dad's office window??

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    1. Well, if she stays here...she needs to know there will a trip to the vet. ha. No more kittens for her!

      Yes, she does look like the original mom to Whiskers, Tiger and Marmalade! Unfortunately, I think that mama met her demise from the mean neighbors. :(

      I've watched Freckles go 'home' to the senior citizen's apartments...or maybe she's going to the dairy bar. Hmmm.

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  2. ha! Im sure she is there "like in home" she is funny:))

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    1. she certainly makes herself at home! Poor thing...she's so skinny! She should just move in and let me take care of her!

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    2. I told you the other time: the cats said: would you likw ti go to an amazing and comfortable house?? Lol

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    3. yes...they know....love and food! ha.

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  3. ha. at least she knows where she can get some love...i cant wait fo the day you wake up and 50 cats are draped all over the bed...lol...party @ betsys house!

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    1. I thought you were going to say 50 possums!!! Just so they are cats, I don't mind. lol....

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  4. She knows good people when she sees them obviously. Exactly how big is this cat door? 'Cause I was just thinking--some night after I put the kids to bed--I could pop over for a couple minutes--I wouldn't use the litter box or anything--just come by for some adult conversation. :) haha

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    1. LOL!! Better wait til the baby is born to try it. :) You can always ring the doorbell until then. haha.

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  5. Oh how sweet, and funny.... I kept thinking as I was reading and enjoying the pictures, of the commercial "Motel Six ~ We'll leave the porch light on." "The Brock's ~ We'll leave the cat flap open, and the porch light..haha"

    Freckles is truly a sweetheart.

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    1. She needs some TLC...she's SO skinny...I want her to move in so I can take care of her!

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    3. aw now, that was funny...you should have left that up! haha.

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  6. Well I am thinking that she is eventually going to move in, probably as soon as the babies are old enough to be transported and hopefully with Mom being so tame then they will just fall into place. Maybe you could make up a box with some shredded paper and a blanket, then see what happens. The sooner the babies get there the tamer they will be and easier to adopt out. We fix our as soon as we get them. Just too many that need a home. And thanks for sharing that lemonade, Freckles is very blessed indeed and I think she will bless you too.

    God bless.

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    1. When the other mother cats have come, they have waited until the kittens are a bit older. The first time, they were small enough that she brought them one by one, holding them in her mouth by the scruff of their necks. I was lucky enough to happen to see her....quite a process to witness. The others have been old enough to follow her along for the trip! So, we will see what Freckles does. I do have a box at my feet here under my desk. It has a little rug in it and is cozy enough for others to curl up in it for a nap. Freckles hasn't tried it out yet. She prefers the cold tiles of the kitchen floor....it's very hot outside and I think she's cooling down. :)

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  7. This story is just amazing Betsy, I really love Freckles too, so dang adorable!

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  8. Oh Betsy, she is so sweet! But I wonder how big her family might be...Anyway I do hope she will bring her offspring, too, so you can take care of them. I think Mrsupole's suggestion about making a cosy box for them could be a good idea...
    Kitty, the cat who turned up after Mimi´s death, miraculously vanished again some weeks ago after not having left my garden at all for weeks. I have no idea, what could have happened, but I do hope she eventually will come back, when the weather turns colder...
    Best wishes to you all!
    Christel

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    1. I do hope her litter is small! haha. But no matter...I'd be happy to take them in and have them fixed and get their shots.

      I do hope Kitty comes back. I've lost a few over the last months that have disappeared...Mustache, Tipper, Oreo....I don't have a good feeling about it, but hope I'm wrong and they are safe and well.

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  9. oh Betsy, you are my hero! When we lived in the house I was the stray lady, lol, all of our critters were wandering souls who found us, word around was they knew to come , I have always believed this and you just confirmed it, Freckles knew she would be loved, she knew where the love was, I hope she will be spayed so that no more kittens will come, then she will live in peace, with you of course,

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    1. She's just a baby herself...really! I wonder how old she is! She's tiny! I hope she stays, too....she needs Dr. Dolittle! ha.

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  10. Freckles is so cute! So glad she found you and your loving home. It is great that the Mister is so understanding. Can we start calling him Mr. Dolittle?

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    1. The Mister loves the cats...don't let anyone fool you! ha. And some of the cats have really taken to him! Tiger was missing for 6 days last week and when he showed back up, I think The Mister was more excited than me! haha.

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  11. Love Freckles - he certainly knows the hot spot in town! A friend sent me the same youtube link re Shamley Green and I had started to watch it the other night and it was fascinating. But yes, went to watch it today and it is no longer available. However, if you go to this link you can click on any of the cats shown and find out a bit about each one and see were they have travelled, etc. It is quite cool! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22567526

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    1. yes, I saw those clips...too bad about the whole thing, though. I was very enjoyable.

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    2. Oops - Freckles, of course, is a she!

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  12. She sounds lovely and she has such a pretty coat. I had to laugh at those first few photos of her because she looks annoyed! Like, "Quit taking my picture, lady!" :)

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    1. She looks at me like that any time I have the camera in my hands....I think she wonders what in the world I'm doing! ha. Her coat is lovely...she'll be so pretty once she fattens up! And that stern expression..haha...I wonder if that's from a hard life on the road.

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  13. I hope that cat flap isn't big enough for a person...some of your blog friends might show up for breakfast and coffee some morning! I mean, you are serving coffee, right? Bless you Betsy for taking care of all those cats. They are very lucky to have you...

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    1. I can just imagine a few of you getting your heads stuck in that thing. OH the pictures and posts I could make! hahahaha!

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  14. Nothing...but nothing...that happens at your house, surprises me, Betsy!
    Freckles is a keeper...

    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. If she wants to be! I certainly wouldn't run her off. :)

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  15. Isn't it unusual for a feral cat to be so friendly? I wonder if Freckles has had some interactions with humans already.

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    1. yes...I've watched her leave here and she goes over to the senior apartment and dairy bar...both are well known for feeding strays. She came just once a week but then over labor day weekend, she came 4 days in a row and I think who usually feeds her was away for the holiday weekend. And obviously, they don't consider her their pet...nobody would leave a nursing mother without food or water for 4 days if they felt responsible for her. But like I said...she's free to come and go and I won't claim her as mine until she chooses to move in with her litter. Right now I just offer food and water and a cold kitchen floor to lay on. She takes those things and then she's off again!

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  16. hahaha when you were away
    She came to play
    Too funny how she knew where everything was
    The kitties must sure spread around the buzz
    Next she'll trot through the door with 9 kittens behind her
    One by one they will stop and purr
    Nine is my guess for your sea
    Want to bet with me? lol

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    1. Nine?
      Oh, that would not be fine! lol..
      My guess is four
      and not one more.
      So, sure I'll bet, it's true!
      But what is the wager set by you?

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    2. Hmmm not sure on that
      I just want to be a right cat

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    3. You wouldn't wish 10 new cats on me!
      That would be low for even thee!
      ha.

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  17. that is such a sweet story! I may put in a cat door and see if I make any new friends. Don't know how much the dog would like that though. You are a sweetheart Betsy...the cats know it, and so do we.

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    1. You never know! But be prepared....the word will spread that you're a kind soul, too! ha.

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  18. Such a sweet story. You need to find out which of your cats keeps sending out the invites. It will be the one with the build-up of glue on the tip of the tongue from licking all those envelopes. She may hang out at the Senior apt's and Dairy Bar but I have a feeling she is about to trade up to Betsy's Dew Drop In and Never Have to Leave. :)
    I don't know why but looking at the cat looking at you as you take her pic. I keep hearing the song "Private Eyes" by Hall&Oates.
    The cousin just took another little black kitten she found under her car on a horrible rainy night. He's turning into a total rascal and running the house she says.

    JaG

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    1. haha..yeah, those eye!

      She doesn't belong to someone officially...she's much too thin. There would be no need to leave your babies every day and travel over to our neighborhood if she had enough food and water...at least that's my opinion.

      Sounds like your cousin is a kind soul...and yeah, they do turn in to rascals sometimes...Jack is our rascal here. Oh my!

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  19. She's beautiful Betsy! I'm so glad she found you and I agree with an earlier comment that you're so fortunate the mister also likes cats and is so understanding. I can't wait to see photos of her kittens...lol!

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    1. yeah, as you can see in the photos, he's more than willing to give her some TLC. ha.

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  20. I love your posts. :) My daughter and I are "cat" ladies.Although we all love our "babies"-my husband more than he trys to let on. :) The cats are very toloriant of my son(he and my daughter are twins-11 years old)-he is autistic and sometimes ruffer than he means to be but they(the cats :) just get on to him -we live out in the country so they have a lot of room-we have to watch out for possims and armadellas and cyotes.thank you :)

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    1. Hi Sally! It's always fun to meet another cat lady! ha. And glad your husband likes them, too. Some of our cats prefer mine...and curl on his lap in the evening. My boys just tolerate the cats...will pet them if I ask them, too...but really don't interact with them at all. Armadellas? Oh my....I would not want to see one of those come through our cat flap! ha.

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  21. Hi Betsy .. sometime soon you'll surely have all the moggies in town with you and you'll need a cat-sized bed for all and sundry!!!

    What fun .. loved the hats and the pickles - they look so good ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Hopefully I will...then the population will be under control! :) Still trying to do my part...and have them healthy, at least. :)

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  22. Freckles...quite an amusing tale. I do hope she brings her family along to stay so that you can take care of them.

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    1. Isn't it? It sure cracks me up. So funny to be sitting in bed and have an animal that doesn't belong to you hop up and join you. lol....

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  23. Replies
    1. haha...well, I hope she eventually calls this place home. She needs me! :)

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  24. Called after me, non? Such a sweet story, you really have a soft heart. (By the way, I'm fine now I've got over your blog being the other way round. I thought I'd got out of bed on the wrong side!)

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    1. haha...only if you have a big freckle on the top of your head! lol....

      You are the only person that's mentioned my flip flop! haha....Yes, it took me a day to get used to it, too! :)

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  25. Poor sweet thing. I hope you can fatten her up.
    I have been reading your blog for ages, but I don't think I have commented before. With 2 cats that love to laze on my bed I find that the state of my bed covers is a complete embarassment. So how do you get away with that beautiful pristine white bedcover??
    Kathy from Tasmania

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    1. Hi, Kathy! Thanks for reading...but thanks even more for letting me meet you! Yes, Freckles is a poor sweet thing! I bought her some kitten milk and she's really enjoyed that. She sure can use the extra calories while she's nursing those kittens! I want so much to care for her, if she'd just bring her babies and stay here! She hasn't been around at all today...maybe tomorrow!

      You know, the cats are good about not getting my quilt dirty! It's usually me spilling coffee on it! lol....

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  26. Oh, I hope she comes back. I am sure you will be able to transform her into a plump healthy girl! I wonder if she did belong to someone once, as she does seem fairly tame.

    Kathy from Tasmania

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    1. When she heads home, she goes toward a Dairy Bar on the next street over. Strays are common there...they don't really belong to anyone but are friendly as people feed them scraps and pet them....same with a set of apartments for the elderly next door to the Dairy Bar! They set out food for strays but don't really own them. I do think it's nice that she is friendly...some of the wild ones I've adopted still won't let me pet them!

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