A Hard Working Cat

Willis the Cat confides in daughter G. explaining how he feels that someone

should take on guard duty, keep tabs on the pampered indoor cats, monitor how much kibble is being consumed daily from the self-feeder, in short, a watch-cat is an essential part of a well-run household.

The antique wooden dough bowl makes an effective hide.

A cat on duty can have a wee snooze and then pop up with

a startling "A-HA!" which announces that he was here all the time!

There are times when even the most concerned and alert cat has to take a break!

"Don't worry, I can hear in my sleep and my eyes were only closed for a moment!"

It has been nearly a year since the lean stripy kitten rode into the yard as a passenger on J.'s 4-wheeler.

He alighted with aplomb, settled his stripes and announced, "The name's Willis!"

Willis was told he could stay as a resident of the barn, sharing the dooryard and the accomodations with the recently installed tortie sisters.

The torties, Sadie and Sally, are perfectly content with their lot as outdoor cats.

They divide their time between the two big barns, keep us company in the garden, make visits to the porch.

Willis does all that, but early on decided that he needed to check out the domestic arrangements

of the house as well.

While he doesn't care to take on the indoor cat tribe, he's not overly intimidated by their stares of superiority.

By October he had claimed a corner by the fireplace, rearranged a section of the shelf above it to his satisfaction.  He sashays in and out through the day as he pleases.

The vantage point of the fridge and the really high point on the cupboard top

are something he has very recently discovered.

I think his tabby stripes have matured to a rather "tweedy" look.

[I imagine him in an old-fashioned flat-topped cap with a dashing pair of 'plus-fours' and matching waistcoat.]

He definitely lords it over his female companions, pouncing at them from behind a bush, or dropping from a tree limb to confront them on the path to the garden.

Likewise, he lets us know that he expects certain things from us--we are meant to cater to his wily whims.

Being putty in his paws, we do just that!