Cat in a box

Charlie Boy is slowly beginning to settle in. He finally decided that a box with a cushion in was infinitely more comfortable than a cold enamel shower tray! He stays in the box most of the time. Yesterday he didn't eat breakfast but did eat dinner. He seems to come alive at night and I could hear him moving around. I've been going in regularly, taking a cup of tea, leaving a radio on and just chatting to him. I don't approach him at all. This morning he ate a little breakfast and looks slightly less apprehensive when I sat talking to him. So we will just take it slowly.

A friend suggested he may be wondering why he is in a house with few other cats - maybe I *eat* cats!! Especially as Button was very vocal when he first came, but has quietened down now. He probably thinks he's next on the menu and if he sits in his box and pretends he's not there I won't eat him. Poor baby!

Button is wanting more fuss from me but is otherwise dealing with the smell of an intruder well. We shall see how it goes when they get introduced!

Other news - I found White Hen dead in the field yesterday. I have no idea what happened though I feel a little guilty. She has always been very timid, and has been at the bottom of the pecking order - and believe me, watch a group of hens for a while and you really get the meaning of that phrase! I'm wondering if she didn't want to go back into the hen house at dusk. Once the light fades hens just automatically roost, though not always on a perch. I had some new hens once that escaped before I got them into the hen house. I didn't stand a chance of catching them, so waited till it was dusk and they just sank down in the long grass. I could then go and pick them up and take them into the hen house with them being as quiet as anything, no squawks, nothing. Amazes me every time I do that. Anyway for the first few days the new hens were in residence I went and checked on them to make sure all were in the hen house at night. Everything was fine. But I wonder if this particular night White Hen decided to roost outside. It was a very cold frosty night so she might have got hypothermia and froze to death. I missed her the next day but sometimes she would go to the barns on her own so didn't think much about it. It was only later on I got concerned and found her in the field. Or I should say what was left of her as clearly some farm cats had been having a feast. And although that may sound distasteful to some - well she had a good life and it's the natural way of things. After all I eat chicken........

White Hen was the last of my home-bred hens so I am particularly sad to see her go. To her credit she laid a good few eggs. I'm just sad I couldn't do more to make her comfortable at the end or even rescue her. Ho Hum.

On a brighter note, Burns Night is celebrated today (Wikepidia gives details). Throughout Scotland there will be various Burns Suppers taking place, including in Orkney. Though as I've said before, Orkney considers itself more linked to Norway than Scotland, in many ways, only being annexed to Scotland a mere 550 years ago! That was as the result of an unpaid debt - um given the current economic climate let's hope history doesn't repeat itself! (Pawned to Scotland)

Time to do some work. Must get the breadmaker started too as supplies are getting low.