Sardines, anyone?

Well, so much for the theory that every cat likes sardines.

Neighbor L suggested to me that I try catching the orange cat with a can of sardines as the bait. Apparently, Orange Kitty has never heard of the "every cat loves sardines" rule.

I think this orange cat showed up around Thanksgiving last year. Since then, we've tried catching him with a catch/release trap, and also tried getting him into one of the cat carriers. Neither method worked. As soon as the orange cat saw that metal catch/release trap on our porch or on the property, he high-tailed it out of here for a few days. Which led me to believe that he got here via a catch/release trap.... someone trapped him on their property and transferred him to a country road, namely ours.

When we tried to get the orange cat into a cat carrier to bring him to the local shelter, he started hissing and scratching... a royal hissy-fit if ever there was one. And again, he stayed away for a few days.  But he always comes back..... he likes our two outside cats, and he's in love with Sweet Pea, our inside cat. (Orange Kitty is a male, and so is Sweet Pea... not that there's anything wrong with that.)

We have tried not feeding that orange cat...... it doesn't work. He still hangs around our porch and underneath the guest cottage.... meowing for all he's worth because he's starving. He wasn't ever a big cat to begin with and when he doesn't eat, he looks like a poster-kitty for anorexia.  So I always break down and give in, and put out a bowl of Meow Mix for him, which is another reason he doesn't stay away for too long a time. He knows a soft-touch when he sees one.

Outside cat Gatsby still growls and spits and howls at the orange cat from time to time, but that doesn't keep Orange Kitty from finding another porch.  Semi-outside cat Mickey has come to like the orange cat's company, but I'm sure he won't miss him when he's gone.

However... I don't think that orange cat will ever be gone. We just can't catch him... can't get near enough to him with him scratching or biting, and he's too smart for the traps. As for the sardines... Orange Kitty turned his nose up at those little fish, and so did Gatsby. Mickey, however, the pickiest eater I've ever had, just loves the sardines. Eats up every bit in the dish and then meows loudly for more.


Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad you found a food that Mickey really really likes?!