Welcome to my cat-world.....

As I type, our mostly outside-cat Gatsby is in the TV room with our two inside cats. The stray orange/white cat (we named him Pumpkin-Kitty-- my cousin F's suggestion) is outside on the back porch sleeping on one of the chairs. This is the first we've seen of Pumpkin-Kitty in the last two days.... since Gatsby barreled into him because he caught me petting the 'new' cat.

We haven't even decided what to do with this orange cat yet, but Gatsby decided that he was going to be the 'last stray' on this property and he took it on himself to get that point across in the only way male cats know-- running at full speed like a bowling ball and scattering whatever is in his path. And in his path was Pumpkin-Kitty, who ran into the barn and up into the rafters and didn't come down for two days.

All day yesterday until it got dark, I was walking around the property, calling Kitty/Kitty/Kitty.... no little meows from that orange/white cat. I had seen him up in the rafters the morning after Gatsby plowed into him, and he looked like he was going to jump down when I called up to him, but Gatsby came up behind me and gave Pumpkin-Kitty a look that would topple a lion...... so I'm sure Pumpkin-Kitty stayed well away from the house these past couple of days.

Tonight, though...... I just happened to be looking out the window of the kitchen door, and there was that familiar orange/white face looking up at me. I went right outside-- and just caught Gatsby coming around the corner of the porch. I scooped him up, put him inside and got some food for Pumpkin-Kitty. Poor thing ate two cans of Fancy Feast....... starving, starving, starving.

I'm not letting Gatsby outside tonight..... he's grounded.... at least until after Pumpkin-Kitty has had his breakfast in the morning. I'm hoping that Gatsby won't be so mean to him during daylight hours. Is that too much to hope for?

I don't know what we'll do with Pumpkin-Kitty...... I don't want a fourth cat..... and I don't want a bully-cat either. Gatsby came into this household with not so much as a screech from our other cats, so the least he can do is have decent manners with any other stray that happens along. And I am firmly convinced that there will always be stray cats out here...... it's just the way it is.

We can't keep them all..... we can't save them all....... there are shelters and rescue-houses for that...... Somehow, cats just find their way to me.