The Visitor

Tonight as my hubby was going out the back door to the garage, I noticed he opened the sliding glass door a bit and then quickly closed it as quietly as possible. I looked at him inquiringly and he pointed his finger at something just below where he had been standing. Of course I got up from the computer to see what he was in a dither about. There he was, in all his black and white glory, gustily eating out of the feral cat's dish.

Just last night I had told my hubby not to put any more food out at night or we would attract unwanted visitors. Now we have had problems before and it almost always involved hubby. He would look very carefully before opening the patio door,and would shine his huge flashlight all over the back yard before venturing out. However, over the long snowy winter, he seemed to have forgotten his little pal Phewy, or as he calls him, The Phantom. Phewy always shows up and seems to be heading in the same direction as hubby or so it appears. I have never run into him but then, I'm not afraid of skunks and they must know it.

Our cat on the other hand, has lost a few battles in her zeal to show off her territorial rights to her property. On three occasions I had the pleasure of standing out in the dark in my shorties while struggling to hold Sweet Miss in a five gallon bucket filled with water, peroxide, Dawn Dish Detergent and baking soda while washing her with a small towel or two to remove the stench. With her eyes streaming and my nose running and eyes afire, I did the best I could seeing as how I was nearly blinded by the strong odor and fighting to hold onto a squirming cat. Although I have to admit, she was pretty cooperative for a cat in water. After double dipping, it seemed to be enough for the both of us! I brought her in the house and we both jumped in the shower together. She had no choice, I wasn't about to let her go nor she of me.

Hubby was a big help through all of this. He adjusted the shower so I wouldn't scald us and he was big enough to bring a large towel to gather the wet and dripping cat when we were finished, while I was on my own. After she proved to be our sweet little angel again, she was granted a seat beside Dad on the recliner. Me, I was chopped liver as far as she was concerned. She didn't want any part of me. She left me to clean up my scratches by myself!

This tale hasn't ended yet. We still have the summer to get through and Phewy has a mate. Much bigger and bolder I will say for the record. I smirk now but how quickly that smirk can be erased if Sweetums gets touchy about territorial rights again.

Have a great day.