Hurricane Dorian is coming at Kitty Village like a freight train and all the Villagers are worried.

 

It is bad enough when there is a normal thunder storm blowing through but with a major hurricane and 140 MPH winds with 12 inches of rain the Villagers have much more to worry about.

Earlier today we saw Orangey explaining the upcoming storm to Bandit and Teddy.

 

“The changes you see around Kitty Village are in preparation for the big storm coming.”

“Do you have any questions?”

 

“Yes, Bandit, we will be safe on the porch with all the shutters closed.”

 

 

“Yes, Teddy, there will be plenty of food.”

 

There is a possibility the storm will turn north which will decrease the impact we get here at Kitty Village. I guess we will have to wait and see.

In the mean time, here are some photos of all the Villagers.

 

 

Above, Teddy and Bandit hanging out on the windowsill.

 

On the right, Smokey still enjoying living indoors.

 

     

Orangey inside the feeder box and Teddy in high places.

                   

Khaki, Kiki, and Smokey waiting for dinner and also relaxing on the coach together.

 

      

Siblings resting with Dad and Samantha who is always talking to us.

  Bandit with his boys Pete and Teddy.

 

       

Just hanging out on the porch.

“I think a storm is coming.” 

  “Maybe we should hide.”

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

SB

 

What’s Happening Around the Village Lately

When you think of the Village, you Think of Veterinary Care for all!

The difference with Kitty Village is that those recipients of Veterinary Care have a job, keeping the rodent population away and showing never ending trust and appreciation to those who care for them.

     

Kitty Village Members Samantha and Smokey are on full time veterinary care due to their medical conditions. Also Kiki and Khaki. This means yearly veterinary visits.

The other Villagers only see the veterinarian when necessary, but we have been able to start them on monthly treatment for fleas, ticks, ear mites, heart worms, and intestinal worms.

Indoors at the Village

  Smokey has adopted Kiki and Khaki.

The three are inseparable and enjoy each others company.

Outdoors at the Village

Above is Smokey’s outdoor family. Bandit, Samantha, Pete, and Teddy all relaxing on the rear porch.

Also outdoors is Orangey, who  does not attack Samantha any more due to months of water pistol training.

        The power of the water pistol. 

  Pete cleaning Teddy for supper time.

Other outdoor Villagers

A short while back we mentioned about two new Villagers, a male and female woodpecker, setting up home in one of our palm trees.

The metal band around the trunk prevents anyone from climbing the tree.

Since they moved on with their family, the home has been vacant.

That was, until one day I looked out and saw different types of birds exploring the vacant home.

Then I saw a Blue Jay on top of the palm tree and a black bird inspecting the home later joined by a second black bird. I then realized the Blue Jay was a real estate agent showing the home.

A short time after that the new residents moved in.

   Yes, another woodpecker family.

On the left is the female and on the right is the Male.

They are the  Red-Bellied Wood Peckers.

Primarily a bird of the southeast, where its rolling calls are familiar sounds in swamps and riverside woods. Omnivorous and adaptable, this woodpecker has also adjusted to life in suburbs and city parks, and in recent years it has been expanding its range to the north. Despite the name, the red on the belly is not often visible in the field.

Their nest site is in cavity excavated in dead wood (tree, pole, fence post, or stump), usually less than 50′ above ground but can be as high as 120′. Male may begin excavating several holes, with female selecting which one completed will be used. They also may use natural cavity, abandoned hole of other woodpecker, or nest box.

They lay 3-8 white in color eggs and incubation is 12-14 days by both sexes (with male incubating at night and part of day). The young are fed by both parents, and leave the nest about 22-27 days after hatching. Parents have 2-3 of these broods per year.

We will be showing more on our Wood Pecker Family here at Kitty Village.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B

We would like to Introduce you to Smokey

Back in the fall of 2016 Smokey and Bandit decided to call our land their home and started their family.

Smokey had three kittens that were later named Teddy, Pete, and Samantha.

We would watch Smokey as she intently watched over her kittens always keeping them in sight. She also cautiously let the kittens interact with us to some degree.

 

 

When we first met Smokey we observed that her left eye had a smokey haze to it, thus we named her Smokey. It was a few days later that we observed her mate staying in the background also watching very intently to everything that was happening. When we first saw him we laughed and knew instantly his name would be Bandit.

     Hence, we had Smokey and the Bandit.

 

 

As time went on, the kittens became more and more trusting of us, but not for Smokey. She always kept her distance and, unlike the kittens, we could never touch her.

We did have to trap her to be spayed and have her ear clipped, marking her as being a feral cat, but that was the closest we ever got to her. Though that would change for a tragic reason.

In the spring of 2018, Smokey came to breakfast with her family as always but this time we observed a horrific wound to her right eye. 

It took two days trying to trap Smokey due to her shying away from the trap. We had to place her food at the entrance to the trap and devise a mechanism that would push her into the trap.

Smokey was rushed to the animal hospital and her life would be forever changed.

Smokey had to endure three surgeries and lost her eye.

We knew at this point that Smokey could not be turned out into the wild again because of her condition.

First, her depth of perception was compromised and secondly, she lost her good eye, leaving her with the smokey hazed eye. We felt she could not defend herself outdoors.

 

 

 

 

 

Smokey spent the next two months in a caged habitat that we built her, with 24 hour care. This would be the first time that we got to touch Smokey. She would let Betty pet and hold her because she was the one who fed and cared for her, but I was the one she was afraid of. This was due to every time she needed to be medicated, I was the one who had to grab her, pull her from the habitat, and hold her in a towel. When ever she saw me she would try and hide.

Betty and Smokey developed an amazing bond with each other.

With a few more visits to the animal hospital with some complications, Smokey fully recovered and became a celebrity with Chewy.com who saw her in Kitty Village News and sent a painting of her, saying that she was a special fur baby.

Today, Smokey is living comfortably indoors with us and has adopted our dogs, Kiki and Khaki as her own.

 

We are so happy here at Kitty Village, that we were able to save her life and give her a comfortable place to live out her years.

Smokey even lets me pet her now and is no-longer afraid of me.

That is the story about Smokey, who is the reason Kitty Village started in the first place.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News and please share the News with others.

S&B

 

Cats, Key West, and Hemingway

One word best describes cats in Key West Florida, and that is

“Polydactyl.”

What?

Key West is a small island at the southernmost end of the Florida Keys where it is possible that many of the cats on the island are related.

The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum located in Key West is home to approximately 40 to 50 polydactyl (six-toed) cats.

Cats normally have five front toes and four back toes. About half of the cats at Hemingway’s Home have the polydactyl physical trait, and the other half carry the polydactyl gene in their DNA, which means that the cats that have 4 and 5 toes can still produce six-toed kittens.

Most cats have extra toes on their front feet and sometimes on their back feet as well. Sometimes it looks as if they are wearing mittens because they appear to have a thumb on their paw.

Ernest Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat by a ship’s captain, and some of the cats who live on the museum grounds are descendants of that original cat, named Snowball.

Key West is a small island, and it is possible that many of the cats on the island are related. The polydactyl cats are not a particular breed. The trait can appear in any breed, Calicos, Tabbies, White, Black, etc.

You will be happy to know that routine procedures such as ear mite treatment, flea spraying, and worming are performed at the Hemingway Home and Museum by their Veterinarian, who also administers annual vaccinations, and performs routine animal health maintenance.

Hemingway named all of his cats after famous people, and today they follow that same tradition. Remember,  cats are capable of learning and responding to their names, particularly if they have a relationship with the person who calls them.

Polydactyl is a genetic abnormality

Count your kitty’s toes. Odds are she has a total of 18, with five toes on each front paw and four on each rear. If your kitty is polydactyl, however, she might have as many as eight toes on any given paw. The word is Greek, with “poly” meaning “many” and “daktylos” meaning “digits.”

When a ship captain gave a white polydactyl cat named Snowball to writer Ernest Hemingway, that captain kicked off a pretty fantastic obsession for one of history’s most prolific cat guys. At Hemingway’s island home off Key West, FL, he collected more than 50 cats, almost half of whom had extra toes. Thanks to his obsession, today polydactyl cats are frequently called “Hemingway cats.”

You can visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, where the cat colony still thrives — and some of the kitties are descendants of Snowball, Hemingway’s original polydactyl.

Polydactyl cats are such a big deal that they’ve made it all the way to the White House: President Theodore Roosevelt had a six-toed first kitty named Slippers.

Now, no one can agree on which polydactyl kitty actually has the most toes. According to Guinness Records, the title belongs to Jake, a ginger tabby from Canada. He boasts seven toes on each paw, for a grand total of 28. Each toe has its own claw, pad, and bone structure.

The rumor mill also tells of a 32-toed cat named Mickey Mouse who lived in the 1970’s. But instead of polydactyl, he might have had a condition known as “double paws,” in which each paw is actually comprised of two fused mirror-image paws. Having extra toes is complicated!

Historically, polydactyl was a useful trait for Maine Coon cats. For a breed originating in snowy Maine, double wide paws with extra digits functioned as natural snowshoes. At one time, as many as 40 percents of all Maine Coons had extra toes. Though the trait is no longer as predominant in the breed, Maine Coon polydactyl are still recognized as an official breed by many cat fanciers.

Back in the day, polydactyl cats got their sea legs by accompanying fishermen on many journeys. And they earned their keep as they were rumored to be excellent mouse hunters, and their extra toes gave them better balance on ships that encountered rough waters. The cats’ many travels might explain their widespread presence today, predominantly in the United States, Canada, England, and Wales.

Hope you enjoyed more about cats.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B

If you read my blogs on the History of Cats,

You know that historically, at some point, cats had a bad reputation caused by Humans.

Well, the Human race has done it again!

In post five of my blog, I talked about letting two cats breed at will and then allowing those offspring to breed at will, you could have 49 thousand cats over a ten year period. 

Why are there feral cats to begin with?

The reason why there are feral cats is the same reason worldwide. It starts with non- responsible and uncaring pet owners who should have never adopted a pet. Some domestic cat owners do not neuter or spay their cats. These cats either escape from their home or they are allowed outdoors where they mate with other cats. The worst part is some people just abandon their cats as I have experienced first-hand.

According to CNN, “They’re cute, they’re fluffy, and they’re public enemy number one in Australia.”

According to the Australian government they estimate 2 to 6 million feral cats live in Australia.

By the year 2020 the government plans on killing over two million free-roaming feral cats.

Some areas of Australia have gone even further. In the northeastern state of Queensland, there’s even a council offering a bounty per feral cat scalp, a policy that many have lambasted as “cruel.”

The following are excerpts from Cable Network News.

The first cat is thought to have arrived in Australia at some point in the 17th century.  Since then, their number has ballooned, with the population today estimated to cover 99.8% of the country. Although feral cats belong to the same species as domestic cats, feral cats live in the wild where they are forced to hunt for survival.

For cats, native species are easy prey. Cats are believed to kill more than 1 million native birds and 1.7 million reptiles across Australia every day, a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of the Environment and Energy told CNN, citing scientific research.

But the plan has come under fire — and surprisingly, conservationists are among the critics. Tim Doherty, a conservation ecologist from Deakin University in Australia, agrees that feral cats take a “big toll” on Australia’s native species, but believes the cull is based on shaky scientific research.

“There’s not really a reliable way to estimate across an entire continent, and if you’re going to set a target, and if you want it to be meaningful, you need to be able to measure your progress towards it.”

The Australian Government is airdropping frozen sausage laced with poison across the Outback.

Hmm… can the endangered species also eat the sausage?

CNN continued…

Another, more pressing issue, is that merely killing a cat doesn’t necessarily save bird or mammal lives — the cat needs to have been living in an area that has threatened animals, he said. And bounties needed to be focused on a certain area, Doherty said. “It needs to be concentrated rather than a scatter gun approach,” he said.

While cats are a big problem, the government had focused heavily on them at the cost of other, more politically sensitive issues like habitat loss caused by urban expansion, logging and mining. “There’s a possibility there that cats are being used as a distraction to some extent,” he said. “We also need to have a more holistic approach and address all threats to biodiversity.”

What I’m hoping for is that in the end while walking up to the pearly gates of Heaven,

To my amazement I will see…

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B

As we bravely walk through the Village we keep saying over and over

Birds and Cats and Coyotes, Oh My!

Never a dull moment in Kitty Village.

Taking care of all the Villagers is a task of its own not to mention trying to keep everyone safe and healthy. As you can see, the Village supplies have come in containing everything for the month from new water systems, regular food, prescription food, medication and so on.

It is actually like having a part-time job working at the Village. Okay, who am I kidding? It is a part-time job working at the Village.

Birds

Now we have brand new Villagers who moved into Kitty Village. Actually, it’s three New Villagers and our new job is to keep the Kitties away from  them.

Yes, a Florida red headed Woodpecker family has carved a home out of one of my Palm Trees. We watch each day as mom and dad bring food to the young one or ones, not sure yet. And yes, making a home in my Palm Tree does kill the tree. Gotta love nature.

We will talk more about my new settlers here at Kitty Village next time.

Cats

Caring for outdoor Villagers is as expensive and time taking as the indoor Villagers. There is heart worm, fleas, ticks and tape worms to mention a few to deal with.

Well, Smokey had a  tape worm or has tape worm(s). We are off to the Veterinarian for a check up. Smokey started to hack up what I thought would be a hair ball, but right out of a Science Fiction Horror Thriller came what I had never ever seen before.

For the squeamish readers, I advise that you page down to the next section of my blog. Writer does not take responsibility for what happens next.

)

(

)

(

Out of Smokey’s mouth came a vomited projectile, a five inch Tapeworm. If that was not bad enough, the Tapeworm was still attached and hanging out of her mouth. Now imagine a man chasing a cat around the house with a Tapeworm hanging from its mouth.

I finally caught her and began (this is not pleasant to remember) to gently pull on the Tapeworm. Five inches then turned to six inches which then turned to seven inches (I’m proud to say I was screaming) then turned to eight inches.

The following information is from PetMd:

Tapeworm infection can affect cats (as well as many other mammals), typically settling in the small intestine. Invasion by the Cestoda tapeworm results in a medical condition that is referred to as cestodiasis. Treatment to destroy tapeworms is a critical step in preventing transmission to humans (typically children), and for averting damage to the cat’s body. When treated promptly, prognosis is positive.

Tapeworms are acquired by ingesting the larvae. Tapeworm eggs are frequently ingested through adult fleas. Other sources that are potential transmitters, and that a cat is likely to ingest, include rabbits, birds, and rodents. Scavenging may also lead to an infestation of tapeworms.

Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination on your cat. If tapeworms are present, they will be found in the anal sac or in the feces. A fecal sample can be used to review for the presence of tapeworms. False negatives do occur, but most test results are conclusive.

If you want to know more about Tapeworms, talk to your Veterinarian. I’m done and hope that none of my readers ever have to go through what I had to.

But Now…

Coyotes

Birds and Cats and Coyotes Oh My!!

Yes, you guessed it. Yeah you, reading my blog while drinking your morning coffee. Yeah, you guessed it. We now have Coyotes in the Neighborhood.

OH MY!!!

Coyotes have attacked smaller animals in the neighborhood like cats and rabbits. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking… Coyotes in south Florida? But, it was confirmed that this problem has existed  for years. Coyotes will hunt in packs and they only hunt when they are hungry. They will not hunt for sport.

Oh My! protecting birds from the cats. Protecting cats from the Coyotes.

When we began kitty Village, we never thought about how involved it gets in running the Village. We have grown to love the Villagers and can not stop caring for them.

Please, if you happen to buy your pet foods or supplies from Chewy.com, please tell them that Kitty Village News sent you.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News and if you’re on Facebook, Like us.

S&B

The History of Cats Part V

Over the years cats survived better than their human companions over all the superstitions of the time. During the 18^th century, cats were elevated to the status of being pampered pets. This was all due to the new paradigm of reason prevailing over superstition. The church dictating popular opinion had been finally broken by the Protestant Reformation (1517-1648 AD) and during the 18^th century (The Age of Enlightenment) people could choose to believe what they wanted about cats or any other subject.

Now during the Victorian Age (1837-1901 AD) cats were again elevated to the previous high standing that they enjoyed in ancient Egypt.

   

Queen Victoria of Great Britain had always kept dogs as her pets, but became interested in cats through the many stories about the archaeological finds in Egypt. These finds were being published regularly in England and many of these stories included descriptions of the Egyptian reverence for cats. There were pictures of statues of Bastet, and the feline association with the gods and monarchy. Because of this, the queen’s interest in the cat led her to adopt two Blue Persian cats whom she treated as members of her court.

Well, this story was carried by the newspapers of the day and because Queen Victoria was a very popular monarch, more and more people became interested in having cats of their own.

This spread to the United States and was encouraged by the popular magazine at the time, Godey’s Lady’s Book, published by Louis A. Godey of Philadelphia from 1830 to 1878.

An 1860 article written by Sarah Hale said that cats were not solely for women or monarchs and that anyone should feel comfortable in embracing the “love and virtue” of the cat. In the United States, cat popularity grew appreciably after the Godey articles.

Cats first came to North America in 1749 AD from England to help control the mice and rat population. Thanks to the stories from England, Godey’s Lady’s Book, and the writings of Sarah Hale cats became cherished pets.

Many writers of the age owned and admired cats. It was said that Charles Dickens was so devoted to his cats that he allowed them into his study. He regularly allowed his favorite cat (The Master’s Cat) to blow out the candle on his writing desk even when he was at work.

William Wordsworth, John Keats, Mark Twain and Thomas Hardy were all great admirers of the cat including Lewis Carroll who created one of the most enduring images of the cat through the Cheshire Cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The first Cat Show was held at the Crystal Palace in London, England (1871 AD) and the appreciation of the cat was raised to such a level that cats were given “specific standards and classes” which are still used to categorize cats today. Cat shows became popular and an interest in breeding and showing cats spread throughout Europe and North America. The first cat show in America was in 1895 and was so popular that it was held at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Cats came along way from pest control to divine creatures. From evil incarnations to finally house pets, they have been closely associated with human beings for centuries. They continue to be valued companions for people across the world today who carry on the legacy of the ancients in their devotion to the cat.

Stay tuned for future stuff about cats.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B

History of Cats Part IV

Cats enjoyed their ancient high standing within the European countries at first, but that would change. The great Norse goddess Freya is depicted as riding in a chariot drawn by cats and in Ireland and Scotland cats were considered in a positive sense being magical.  

But with the Christian Church beginning to demonize important pagan symbols (which included the cat, and its association to evil witchcraft that was associated with the devil) cats popularity would be brought to an end.

The medieval writer Walter Map (1140-1210 AD) associated demonic forces with cats in his writings and there are early 13th century records in Cambridge, England of cats being ritually killed.

( 1227 – 1241 AD )

A more serious downward spiraling turn took place for cats after Pope Gregory IX issued a decree in 1233 AD.

This decree announced that cats are as evil as Satan. He made it so bad, especially for black cats, that they were so strongly demonized to the point that they were regularly killed all across Europe.

It has been argued that due to the decree of Pope Gregory IX, the death of so many cats allowed the mice and rat populations to thrive and the fleas that they carried brought on the Bubonic Plague of 1348 AD. People of the time had no idea where the Plague came from but cats continued to be suspect of all manners of ill-will and danger.

As late as 1658 AD, Edward Topsel, and his work on natural history, wrote.

“The familiars of Witches do most ordinarily appear in the shape of Cats, which is an argument that this beast is dangerous to soul and body”.

The people of the European nations believed the cat to be evil and shunned anyone who seemed overly fond of the cat. If an elderly woman took care for cats, she was susceptible to punishment for witchcraft simply on the grounds of being so accused. It was believed that just the breath of a cat was infectious and could destroy a human’s lungs causing consumption.

  The poor black cat had no chance during that time.

Our villager Samantha is happy she was born in the 21st century.

The History of cats will be 

Continued…..

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News and don’t shy away from sharing it with others.

S&B

History of Cats Part III

China

The cat as a figure of divinity was also true in China where the Chinese cat god Li Shou was also depicted in a cat form. The petitions and sacrifices made to Li Shou were for pest control and fertility. There is an ancient Chinese myth that relates to the beginning of the world, where the gods appointed cats to oversee the running of their new creation. To make sure that communication was clear, the gods granted cats the power of speech. However, cats were more interested in sleeping beneath the trees and playing with the falling leaves than with the boring task of having to pay attention to the operation of the world.

After the creation, the Gods, returned three times to see how well the cats were doing with their job and all three times were disappointed to find their overseers asleep or at play. Well, on the third visit, the cats explained they had no interest in running the world and asked that human beings take over that position. The power of speech was then taken from the cats and given to humans but, because the humans seemed incapable of understanding the words of the gods, cats remained entrusted with the important task of keeping time and so maintaining order. It was said that one could tell the time of day by looking into a cat’s eyes and to this day this belief is still maintained in China.

Gaze into my eyes and you can see it is feeding time!

In Japan, the famous image of the `Beckoning Cat’ (the figure of a cat with a raised paw) represents the goddess of mercy. The legend says that sitting outside of the temple of Gotoku was a cat with her paw raised in acknowledgment of the emperor who was passing by. The emperor being attracted by the cat’s gesture entered the temple, and at that very moment, lightning struck the very spot where the emperor had been standing. Therefore the cat saved the emperors life and was accorded great honors.

The image of the Beckoning Cat is said to bring good luck when given as a gift and remains a very popular present in Japan. Also, regularly considered a guardian of the home and was thought to be the protector of valuable books. Cats were often given private pagodas for their home in Japan. Cats were considered so valuable that, by the 10th century AD only the nobility could afford to own a cat.

The people of Greece and Rome kept cats in their homes but, the appreciation for the animal as a hunter was not as great in those cultures.  Greek and Roman practice were to keep domesticated weasels for pest control. The Romans regarded the cat as a symbol of independence and not as a creature of utility. Cats were kept as pets by both Greeks and Romans and were regarded highly.

A first century AD epitaph of a young girl holding a cat is among the earliest pieces of evidence of cats in Rome. The Greek playwright Aristophanes (446-386 BC) frequently featured cats in his works for comic relief. He coined such phrases as “the cat did it.” Within ancient civilizations, the cat was probably least popular among the Greeks. That is because the Greek goddess Hecate carried the myths of death, darkness, and witches, who was, more commonly associated with the dog. Hecate’s Roman counterpart was the goddess Trivia, associated with sorcery and witchcraft. Much later on, the Greek appreciation for the cat was brought out in the legend that the cat protected the baby Jesus from rodents and snakes. So this accorded the best of spots in a Greek home for the cat but, originally, the cat did not seem to have been regarded highly.

It is said that cats were brought to Europe by the Phoenician traders who smuggled them out of Egypt. It is known that the Phoenicians had extensively traded with every known civilization of the time, so cats could have been spread around the region. Cats were also kept on ships to control rodents during the time of the 15th century AD  so most likely, they served the Phoenicians for the same reason. Due to this, it seems most likely the cat was associated with the goddess Hecate.  Hecate was associated with the dog, but one story connects the dark goddess with the cat.

There was a Greek myth about Galinthius who was a maid-servant to Heracles’ mother, Alcmene. The story goes that the god Zeus seduced Alcmene, and she became pregnant, giving birth to Heracles. Now Zeus’ wife, Hera, found out about this affair and was prevented from killing Alcmene and Heracles by the cleverness of Galinthius, the maid-servant. Enraged by this, Hera transformed Galinthius into a cat and sent her to the underworld to serve Hecate. This story was made popular by the writer Antoninus Leberalis (2nd century AD) which was read by many up through the 16^th century AD. Because of this myth, it associated cats with the darkness, witchcraft, and the underworld. So in time, because of these associations, this would prove very unfortunate for the cat.

Cats as Demonic Figures in history will be in our next issue.

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B

We would like to introduce you to Bandit

Bandit is the father to Teddy, Pete, and step father to Samantha. As we told you in Post Ten, a female cat can remain in heat for up to 21 days. She can mate with more than one male during that period of time and can have a litter which contains kittens from both males. Bandit also adopted Orangey.

Now back in 2015 Bandit and his mate Smokey decided to have their litter on our land. That, you can say, was the beginning of Kitty Village.

Bandit kept his distance for the first several weeks and we did not even notice him. Then one day in the far distance was Bandit watching Smokey and the kittens.

Over several days he became more trusting and came closer and then closer. He would keep at least twenty feet between us. When feeding time came, we would put a bowl out for bandit, but he would not eat until he was sure we were gone.

One year later, he would get a couple of feet away, but if we reached toward him he would run. By the second year, we could pet him and eventually he would come up to us for a pet.

Bandit was always the protector for Kitty Village and whenever a outsider came onto the land he would chase them away.

When Orangey showed up January 2017 Bandit did not chase her away. Maybe he could sense she needed a home. Orangey was skinny, dirty, and very hungry. Bandit would always stay away from Orangey for about a year and then he would come up and greet her by bumping heads.

I never saw Bandit fight with any of the villagers. When the kittens were young, he might take a swat at one that was bothering him, but that was all.

Bandit with his boys.

Bandit got his name because of his mask. When he was younger, there was more white on his face with the black only around the eyes.

Well, that’s Bandit!

Thank you for reading Kitty Village News.

S&B