Kitty is trying to kill himself.
It’s a dangerous situation.
Kitty is so happy when he thinks his people are coming home he runs under the front wheels of every vehicle pulling into our drive. If you look for him, when it gets dark he’s hard to see.
We don’t know how to break Kitty of his new habit. Some of the visitors to our house are older and have enough trouble negotiating around our trees, shrubs or the barn to consider watching out for our little cat.

Kitty’s about to throw himself beneath a jeep wheel. Notice the tire tracks where he’s walking.
This week our horses kicked holes in the barn. We don’t keep them locked inside stalls. They can go inside or out at will. They’ve got free access to a big round bale of hay. They have a fan inside the barn. They have bug zappers. They have a drinking fountain.

The kicked out side of our barn.
I think the horses and Kitty are missing DH.
DH loves having a farm and spends his days as if he were a paid hand. He mows, works in the barn, trims trees, cleans up trails, fixes fences and as he does chores, the horse’s noses are right up his back or over his shoulder. When DH is outside their pasture, the horses watch his every move from the closest fence corner.

The not very remorseful barn kickers beg for treats.
Kitty lived wild and feral in DH’s woods for an entire year before DH was able to get close to him. He still spends most days outside. Only instead of being the cat that walked and lived alone, Kitty now follows DH like a dog. He is up and down ladders, running ahead of DH on paths in the woods and springing out from behind weeds to grab DH’s legs.
Lately though, DH has had obligations that have prevented him from being as available outside for our animals.

Simba’s found a sack and total bliss.

Biggs enjoys her favorite chair.

The newest member of our family, Scooter, the hummingbird, sips nectar and entices Biggs who is watching out the window.

Buster and DH greet Mr. Miller, the repairman who will be fixing our barn. The children soon are petting our horses although Mr. Miller said their horse is a new one. According to Mr. Miller, the new horse isn’t very well trained and behaved badly on the drive to look over our barn.

It’s that time of year and animal hair is everywhere. Abby watches me sweep.
It is shedding season and over the past week with my daughter visiting, every day was a reminder that I really need to check out the animal Dyson vacuum cleaner. Dog and cat hair were everywhere and clinging to our clothes everytime we left the house.
Our pets are a lot of work and a responsibility. They aren’t cheap with vet visits, expensive and endless desires for Fancy Feast, hay, treats, toys and barn destroying. But, their joy, when we come home, is so overwhelming you cannot help but know it’s love in its purest and most unselfish form.
Simba may mostly be DH’s cat, but this week it was my face he snuggled up to every night. And in the mornings DH made coffee and Abby came and nuzzled my arm so I’d wake up right before it was ready. Somehow, someway, those pets instinctively became nurturing and extra affectionate.
Are our pets worth the inconvenience and expense?
Absolutely. We don’t miss or think about their cost in time or money.
But, we’d sure miss them.
More dog stories:
Two dogs and a cat go to the vet
My Big Fat Animals
“Bad Boy Buster” and Dog Whispering
More cat stories:
Two dogs and a cat go to the vet
The Cat Box
Cat Ladder
DH’s Cat Ladder Goes International
More Horse Stories:
Give me a kiss
Horses , Skipper Rears