« Research fraud | Main | Disappointments »
March 18, 2005
Fred & friends
Fred is not a solo act; he has several friends, and they all dine Chez Howard. There are two black ones (one with a collar); two grey ones; and Fred. The two black ones and the big grey one are occasional visitors, but the little grey one is so much a habitué that she now has a name, Geraldine. Fred is simply a resident of our garage; Geraldine uses it more like a motel. Whereas Fred pretty much stays home, we see Geraldine crossing the street, to our horror. Our neighbors across the street, the Searles, are also feeders of strays, and Don says the guy next door to him is a soft touch, too. The Searles and their next-door neighbors have used humane traps to catch some of the ferals so as to have their wounds fixed (and their reproductive capacities, as well). We're waiting to see how necessary that will be with Fred and Geraldine; we're thinking that as the weather warms (which, glory be, it is slowly doing), we may be able to get our hands on them without traps.
Meanwhile, Fred and Geraldine have learned that if they sit on the back porch long enough to get our attention, we'll come out there with a can of Friskies to supplement the dry Purina. They are discriminating ferals: they do not like Dad's, but they think Purina is just fine. Canned Friskies, though, is like the Big Mac: they've just gotta have it. And have it they do, nearly every day. We've cured them of fighting over it (and Fred always lost those fights; he's definitely beta). They retreat to the bottom of the steps and wait patiently as we bring out the Big Macs in two little bowls. We set the bowls a couple of feet apart at the top of the steps, and then Fred and Geraldine feed peacefully, side by side, and afterwards pause in the sun (of which we've had quite a lot more than usual throughout the winter) to take their post-meal bath.
Posted by senioritis at March 18, 2005 06:28 PM