Something is just not right about that Boy

One evening, about two weeks before Halloween as I enjoyed an adult beverage and watching the last light of the beautiful autumn sunset on the lake, I heard rustling in the patio garden below. Not that unusual here with all the rabbits and small animals that reside on a water front. As I looked over the the balcony rail I see two pair of eyes glaring back at me from the azalea bushes that lines the walkway. Raccoons I think to myself, time for some fun. So with Flashlight, lighter and firecrackers in hand I again peek over the rail. Much to my surprise I see a small grey kitten curiously looking around, and behind her a black figure almost invisible in the darkness. OH Great, a mother cat has had kittens on the grounds somewhere, they'll be some owl's dinner by morning.

I went to bed that night hoping they would not be around the next morning, maybe wander back to the protection of their mother. But once again the next day I hear a ruckus , and look to see two kittens, a grey tabby, semi long haired, and a coal black short hair wrestling in the grass, growling and spiting like mortal enemies. I whistled and poof. They disappeared, but not for long. As darkness fell, they came together up on the patio to get out of the rain. I dropped a large piece of canned tuna fish (dolphin free of course) over the balcony rail only to watch it be devoured in an instant. I could tell they both hadn't been feed for a long time. Later that night I set out a large bowl of food, water and milk. Within minutes they had eaten and were gone.

Days later they were allowing me to watch them eat, but not approach. But one evening, I left the French doors open while I watched a movie and they sat at the door eyeing me suspiciously. I ignored them and they soon entered the room cautiously and look around curiously. The next afternoon, after their meal of cat food and a little warm milk the black one came in the door, sat and watched me read and soon was on the back of my chair, purring. I talked, she purred, then she let me pet her for a while and disappeared.

Next night they both came in, the black one seemed at ease with me.
Peace had been made.
The grey one slept, with one eye on me, at the edge of the big coffee table, the black one a few feet away on the floor. Soon after they were spending the whole day watching me, and exploring the few rooms I allowed them access to.

They never left.

The grey one is still a bit skittish and is not as affectionate. Even though my house keeper sometimes feed them also, she still seems untrusting and afraid of something, and doesn't like sudden movements. It reinforces my suspicions they were not treated well and were throw aways. She's still afraid of the upstairs rooms, the sound of thundering drums come from up there.
I named her Janis because of her gravelly deep meow. She's very independent and now has a beautiful semi long coat and long whiskers. She chooses to spend most of her time playing with doodle bugs and lounging in the hammock outside.

The Black one is another story altogether. She spends most of her time inside, always close and sometime underfoot, with a slight hyper streak. But she's very affectionate, sleeps at the foot of the bed, and has been dubbed by my friends "H.C."(House Cat).

I just couldn't resist naming her after my Opera Friend "Zaphira".

And I promised her pictures.....




Sorry about the color, they're 35mm transfers.







































































What a life........