Back in early May, we noticed several other feral cats hanging around outside, near one of our sheds. A very skinny solid black kitty, a mottled kitty, and two big gray male cats. We suspected one or the other was a father to Smokey Lonesome's kittens.

Then, there were first FOUR black kittens that came out to eat, and eventually, a 5th but much smaller kitten. I almost fainted. Having just struggled to get Smokey Lonesome spayed, and taking her kittens inside to acclimate them to home life- well, we just felt daunted, thinking of FIVE more. Then, what DO you do? Blix was feral, it was obvious, but she was so hungry, trying to feed kittens, that she was very food motivated.

One evening, I made a big plate of food for her and her little family and while keeping "the People" away from the gate, I opened it and invited her in, and she came! From there, it was just a mtter of putting food down for her in our inner enclosure and BAM! We had her safe from the roaming males who we do NOT need around at breeding time! And yes! The biggest oldest gray male cat has climbed into our cat-safe yard! The good news is that he cannot affect Blix, and since Smokey Lonesome was just spayed, he could not do anything to her, either! AND, with him in the yard, he could not get out and after Pansy and Pixie!

We could tell that something was wrong with the small odd kitten. He tried to keep up with the others, he came out to eat, bt it was apparent he was not well. One evening, I sat on the steps out from our gates, with the plate of food at my feet, and I just leaned and leaned until I was close enough to grab him up!

Yes, he was terrified, and yes, he was sick. I could tell he had an ear infection; maybe ear mites, and with a poor little distended belly, I worried for the worst- that he might have FIP- the mutation of the FIV virus in cats, which is generally deadly.

Thanks to our dear friend, Michelle, who founded Forgotten Felines, we were able to have help with feral mama cat Blix- she was spayed this morning!! AND they checked out little kitty, too, while he was there. I am just thrilled BEYOND what I had hoped for- he is FIP free! Just a matter of a bloated stomach for an 8 week old kitten who has been malnourished and lived in a stressful situation. He actually cannot be Blix's kittens; he is a few weeks younger than her other four, so you have to wonder where she picked him up. We had the thought that he may be the kitten of one of Blix's sisters. We call them Pansy and Pixie, and they may have had a litter and the little one is all that is left. It's a hard world in the woods on the river.

At any rate, he is now safely in the house, as well- with Wynken, Blynken, and Nod, having "finishing lessons!" LOL! He is still very frightened and shy, but he is OH so glad to be with other kittens again, and the other 3 have not missed a beat! He is eating well, uses the litter boxes, and is very playful and learning to be social.

We had to give him a name at the drop of the hat, and called him Licorice . . . but now that we know he really IS a chocolate kitten, we are considering something else. I can't wait until he is well, to see if Blix remembers him.

As a side bar- Blix's kittens can get in and out of the inner pen because they are still small enough to pass right through the chainlink fence the inner pen is made of. BUT! They play in the yard, and always have breakfast and dinner with their Mama.

Our goal now will be to trap the big stray gray males and have them neutered, and then the other two female cats. They will return to the wild, but will always be able to come to the house for regular meals!

Happy Caturday! Home really IS where the cats are!!

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.” - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Created with GIMP

Phalaborwa

Limpopo Province

South Africa

Shot at the mountain bike trail located in the veld adjacent to Phalaborwa. Sam is as wild as the animals in the Kruger National Park and only calms down when I allow him to sleep on my bed:-))

LIP_IMG_E0155_DxO_BIG

Taken by my friend, Michael Sawyer (www.sawyerimages.com) assisted/edited by me.

Two kinds of black for @justanotherpleb | #resintint #translucentblack #solidblack #surfboard

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Here's an Evie I did in black. She came out just as perfect as the one in grey. ;)

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Hogan was photographed in my studio. The feather was added post processing using Photoshop Elements.

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A shot of EVIE in cowl mode. ;)

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Ellie playing in the garden and badly needing a haircut!

Dog for 114 pictures in 2014.

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photography by michael sawyer

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Another shot of Evie in black, cowl style.

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