Nick, our oldest cat, came down for breakfast this morning. This is notable because we have children visiting this week. Nephew is almost 6 and Niece is 8. They have been gentle with the other cats but Nick does not feel comfortable around children. When Niece visited two years ago, Nick spent the week under a dresser. This week, he has come out only when we were all watching a movie, later after the children went to bed, and in the morning before anyone is up. I can hear him singing by the front door, which is his way.
I made our bedroom the cats' safe room, with Feliway diffusing in the entry hall, water, and litter boxes. So Day One of the visit, I fed the cats their dinner early. Day Two, Nick was under our bed with the guitars. I set his breakfast down and he came out after I left the room. Same with dinner. Day Three, Nick came out when I brought his plate for breakfast. Same with dinner. Day Four, Nick came out in the bedroom hallway to greet me. I put his plate in the usual place by the bed. Same with dinner. This morning, Nick came half way down the stairs with the others. I fixed the plates and when it was time to set them on the floor, Nick came down for breakfast. Not in the breakfast room where he usually eats, because the children were there, but he ate on the sun porch with Bonnie. We'll see how dinner goes tonight.
Several times recently, we have seen a different deer. A mottled deer and her fawn have come in the woods and the yard. They were eating wild grape leaves. They left the roses alone because I spray them with Liquid Fence almost every week. If I don't, they eat the leaves and buds. But the upshot is, another generation is being taught to graze in my yard. Sigh.
