There is a group of cats that has taken to visiting the backyard of my co-op. So far I know there are at least three of them, a grey one with white feet, and a white one with black markings, and a black one with white markings, though there may be more. It’s hard to count them because they often come around one at a time during the day. When they see Ellie coming out of our door they start to run, and Ellie chases them until they jump up into the retaining wall, out of her reach. For some reason, they have a habit of “hiding” on the third or fourth tier of the retaining wall, behind a single flimsy branch, as if Ellie would be able to see them up there if they weren’t camouflaged by this wondrous work of nature. Except, Ellie can’t see them at all, because she’s a dog and has limited vision and can’t really see things unless they are nearby and/or moving. Generally, Ellie prowls around at ground level searching for clues of the cat’s whereabouts, while I stand right in front of the hidden cat and try to make conversation.
The cats never answer my questions, though, which is very disappointing. I keep asking them where they live, and how they’re doing, and they just ignore me and watch the dreaded Ellie down below. Cricket isn’t interested in the cats at all at this point in her life. In fact, she has given up on cats and squirrels and birds altogether and has focused all of her attention on trying to get Kevin, the Mini-Golden-Doodle who lives two buildings over, to play with her.
Eventually, after Ellie has forgotten about the cat in the retaining wall, and Cricket has, reluctantly, accepted that Kevin isn’t going to come out to play, the dogs let me take them back inside and the cats go back to what they were doing before, usually hanging out under the bushes in front of my building, because it’s the best place from which to spy on the mourning doves, who spend a lot of time near there (my neighbor is very generous with bird seed). A few times we’ve found piles of grey and white feathers in the yard, with no sign of the bird who used to wear them. I try to believe that the bird has survived the attack from the cats, somehow, because there’s no sign of the body or bones or blood, but half a bird’s worth of feathers is a lot, especially when there’s so much of the soft fluff that comes from the layer closest to the bird’s body.
I don’t know if these cats have homes, or humans to take care of them, and I don’t know if they are really hungry, or if they are more like Ellie, who feels like she’s starving two minutes after a breakfast of kibble, cheese, and chicken treats. They look pretty healthy, so it’s possible that they are house cats who are allowed out whenever they want, either that or there are a lot of people in my neighborhood who like to feed stray cats. It would be easier for me to accept the cats’ hunting behavior if they are feral, though it would still be hard to forgive. Those mourning doves are so awkward and well-fed that they really don’t stand a chance against a gang of cats.
And yet, despite all of that, I still look forward to seeing the cats. Part of me even wishes that the cats would realize that Ellie isn’t a threat to them, and would see her as a potential friend, because she needs one (Cricket doesn’t count as a friend; she’s a sister, which, if you ask Cricket, is a whole other thing). Ellie would love to catch up to one of the cats and have a loud conversation with them, or teach them one of her special dances (hop, hop, slide, hop, twirl, prance, jump, spin). But they don’t know that Ellie would never hurt another creature and is no threat to them; though she’s been known to hurt Kevin’s feelings when she “hides” on our stoop every time Kevin comes around.
I’m allergic to cats, so I can’t have one of my own, either for my sake or for Ellie’s, but I wish I could. I miss my old friend Muchacho, the cat who lived here when we first moved in about ten years ago. He lived in one of the apartments nearby, with his human, but he came and went through the window as he pleased. He was so friendly that he’d let me pet him, and even pick him up once or twice. It was a real loss when he died, because even though I still have neighbors with cats, they are all indoor cats and I rarely see them. These visiting cats are nothing like Muchacho, of course, and they are unlikely to let me get anywhere near petting them, but part of me believes that if I’m friendly enough they will change their minds. I even worry about them when they’re not here, almost as much as I worry about the wellbeing of the birds when the cats are here. I wonder what the cats are thinking, and where they go when they aren’t in our yard, and if they have human families, or feline ones, or enough food or shelter. I haven’t, yet, tried to chase them up into the retaining wall the way Ellie does, hoping for answers to all of my questions. But I’ve been tempted.
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rachelmankowitz 
I enjoyed your cat tale. Felines are such enigmas even when they’re part of one’s household. They must be free spirits. There’s a tame, orange cat who has been visiting me the past few years, but I have no clue where his home might be.
They really like to keep their secrets!
From the pictures, both your cat friends and your birds look VERY well tended! You might try sitting down for a quiet moment and see if the cats will come to you. Or, try sneezing and pretending you don’t like them, my non-cat friends do this and my cats can’t get enough of them!
That’s awesome!
i am an old cat gentleman. I now have my cats indoors because i get tired of the heartbreak of them getting lost or killed or kidnapped. unfortunately my over protectiveness (now) is can not stem the evil that is cancer or old age. But i am trying my best to keep my cats safe. and if that requires them staying inside oor playing in the screened in porch then that is what i will do.
I can totally understand!
The green plant in front of the little gray tabby cat looks very much like rosemary. This spic bush is very high in oil content, even when green and should never be planted near a wood window or other construction. It grows large and is highly combustible.. You can tell if it is rosemary by squeezing it between your fingers and sniffing~!
Beautiful photos and I bet the cats are watching each other as much as they are watching for birds. Cats are normally independent and not usually gregarious unless they live in the same house.
I asked my Mom and she said it’s a Yew bush, so we’re okay. Thank you!
I wonder if the neighbor who feeds the birds knows about the cats. I used to feed several cats outdoors before they became indoor cats at different homes–mine included. Only once did I see a flurry of feathers in my garage and grieved to see one of the cats had gotten a cardinal.
We have a neighbor on the other side of our building who likes to feed the cats, while my neighbor downstairs feeds the birds. It’s a bit of a territorial dispute.
Oh my–sounds exactly like that!
These cats are staring at you . Anita
Ha!
Considering what if you offered treats or snacks for the cats, maybe that could answer the question of if they’re really hungry and maybe that might make at least one of them warm up to you and answer your questions. Hoping that they change their minds and let you pet them like sweet Muchacho let you pet him.
I miss Muchacho so much!
I love kitties, but I think they all should be kept indoors except maybe in very rural areas. It’s just too dangerous for them outside, and too sad for the birds…
They do a lot of catch, neuter and release around here, because there are so many strays.
What a shame that you’re allergic to cats. They are such loving creatures. You’ll have to make do with those darling dogs of yours.
I know someone with a hairless cat and she’s adorable, but Mom’s not convinced.
It’s probably not the hair that you’re allergic to but possibly the dander from the skin (skin cells, flakes of skin).
That’s awful!
Now THIS is a gang of cats: https://www.moggyblog.com/2019/11/18/the-mob/ 🙂
Love it!
To be honest, that photo has been on my computer desktop for weeks now, paired with a still from A Clockwork Orange where the humans look very much like those menacing cats. I want to use the two photos as a writing prompt, but I haven’t found the right story yet.
Wow!
I’ve never been a cat person. I figure if I want a cat as a companion, I’d like a lion or a tiger 😆
Wow! You’d certainly get a lot of exercise running away from it.
Yes, and getting a good workout, having to feed a big cat and clean up after it. It’s probably a good thing I don’t have pets 😊
Ha!
I’m allergic to cats too, but they are very interesting to watch.
They really are!
My sister took pity on a cat she assumed was homeless but a discussion with neighbours revealed that everyone was feeding said cat! Unbelievably it wasn’t fat and its owners lived one street over.
Cats are very smart!
This one certainly was!
As much as I enjoy cats it is a heartbreaker to see feral cats. They have a tough life and a short one.
But they struggle when people try to bring them home, too. It’s very sad.
True. Although sometimes there are success stories. Love can tame a wild cat. I think many feral cats appreciate the security a home offers.
The cats are probably projecting their visual ability onto the dogs.
I don’t think house cats run in “packs.” At least, I’ve never seen or heard of it. So it does make me think they are wild and hunting for survival. The best thing your neighbor can do is stop feeding the birds.
You kind of love all of them like God loves us…love the cat, hate it’s sin. Right?
Pretty much.
Cats
Cats 😺
I, for one, would love a video of Ellie’s dance, which you so vividly described. We had a wonderful cat, a stray we think was the runt of some litter, who slipped under our fence and adopted our giant collie/shepherd (male) dog as his mom. They were the best of friends, and gave us years of joy.
That’s beautiful!
They were wonderful together. I still miss them years later.
awwww❣️
I share your ambivalent attitude towards visiting cats. I resent the fact that they drive birds away from my garden, and occasionally catch and kill them. But I love their company, their sleek beauty and their mischievous characters, and like you I worry about them when they’re not here. 😺
It’s good to know I’m not alone!
Your statement- “Ellie would love to catch up to one of the cats and have a loud conversation with them, or teach them one of her special dances (hop, hop, slide, hop, twirl, prance, jump, spin)” made me laugh out loud. I think Ellie and a cat becoming friends would make a wonderful children’s book. Our cat lived a feral life for her first 6 months before my Aunt and Uncle were able to catch her. Adi played a big role in helping her to adjust to her new life as a domestic indoor cat. Adi licks her and she licks Adi back. Her relationship with Summer is one of fun and games. When the cat gets bored she strolls right under Summer’s nose waiting for her to react than races away with Summer in hot pursuit. Then she hides just out of reach and listens to Summer howl in protest for a bit before starting the game all over again. It does make them both tired. LOL
That’s awesome!
I have four cats. They are very fortunate where we live because they can get outdoors safely. They visit my neighbour every day. We even have cut a gate into our adjoining fence to make it easier for them! They are great companions and are not as needy as dogs. Bertie does get me up through the night to let him out though!
I love that they have a direct route to the neighbors!
Outdoor cats are hugely devastating to local wildlife and upset the ecosystem. More owners ought to use cat collar cameras to see just how deadly they really are (granted, a few cats aren’t into hunting). I have seen some very friendly outdoor city cats who just laze in the sun and tolerate pets!
I love all the animals God made, but I have to confess that as I get older – I get more adverse to cats because of them killing birds and things. My collie Scot found the exception – a feral cat who would have starved to death if we hadn’t started feeding her. She literally walked under a bird nest with the babies hanging over the edge of the nest and never touched them. She shared her food with rats and mice and never touched them either. She was terrified of people, but, oh, how she loved her friend Scot.
That’s awesome!
We used to have strays outside that would visit I loved it
This post about the author’s encounters with a group of backyard cats was a joy to read. The author’s descriptions of the cats and their interactions with their dog, Ellie, were so vivid and entertaining. It’s funny how the cats seem to think they’re hiding from Ellie by perching on the retaining wall, but the author can see them plain as day. I love how the author tries to strike up conversations with the cats, even though they’re not very interested in chatting. Thank you, author, for sharing this delightful story with us.
It’s so funny how animals interact with each other! Your description of the cats hiding from Ellie is hilarious. It’s interesting how they choose to hide in such an open space, but it’s clear they know they’re out of reach. I can picture Ellie frantically searching for them while you stand there trying to have a conversation with the “hidden” cats. It’s a sweet and entertaining scene. Thank you for sharing this with us, it brought a smile to my face.
Thank you so much!
I found this post both amusing and endearing. It’s interesting to read about the cats’ behavior in the backyard and how Ellie reacts to their presence. The author’s attempt to make conversation with the cats is especially charming. Thank you for sharing this delightful story with us!
Thank you!