Four days gone...

We haven't seen the orange cat in four days now.  The last time he was here, our outside cat Gatsby howled and screeched and plowed into that stray cat something fierce... I'd never seen Gatsby fight like that before, and when it was all over, I saw the orange cat walking slowly towards the barn.

I didn't go after the orange cat to see if he had been hurt... after all, he's a stray cat, isn't he?  And haven't I wanted him gone for the past ten months?  And hasn't he been unfriendly and unpredictable for all of those months?  If I could have caught him, I'd have brought him to the local animal shelter.... I did not, and do not, want another cat.

I have to admit that it's nice to just walk out the back door without even thinking that the orange cat might scratch my legs as I walk by. (He was very quick on the fast-swipes with his claws.)  Neighbor L had suggested that I use a spray-bottle with that orange cat..... and it worked... as I walked, I sprayed that water right in front of the cat and that kept him away from my legs.

Very quiet on the porch these past few days.... no howling from Gatsby, no hissing from Mickey. All is quiet on the porch with just our own two outside cats.  Still, I hope the orange cat just found another barn to call his own, I hope the coyotes didn't get him, and I do hope he doesn't come back to our porch.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you missing me now that I'm gone?