In article
,
lid wrote:

In article ,
Priscilla Ballou wrote:

I wonder if it's possible that a non-tree-climbing predator has been
making its presence known in the area lately? Any coyotes around

Well, there are coyotes around sometimes (at a library sale, I actually
found and bought a book about coyotes to learn what I could do to
protect the cats from them), but they've been there longer than my
colony. In all the time I've been here, only one cat has been taken by
coyotes that I know about.

I've been caring for this particular colony for ten years give-or-take,
and the coyotes--along with deer, skunk, raccoons, opossums, assorted
rodentia and who knows what-all else--have always been a part of the
system. I've had pretty close encounters with all these critters since I
started caring for the colony. I've even had to chase away *birds* from
the feeding station; some left so reluctantly, I had to laugh. They
didn't even bothering to take wing, just walked away in that funny way
birds walk.

With all of that, this tree-dwelling-cat stuff is completely new and
baffling to me.

I've seen plenty of "fireman-save-my-cat" treed pet cats, but these guys
do not seem at all distressed by their situation. On the contrary, I get
the sense that they feel secure in the trees. It really is the weirdest
thing.

Fascinating. I'm stumped, too!

Priscilla