Guarding The Grain

Here's a photo I took yesterday evening while Alayne, Mariah and I were in Lena's Barn finishing up the chores.  Our three barn cats began arranging themselves very artistically on the grain sacks behind us as we stood there talking.  I had just taken the other photo of the three blind horses with their heads in the feed tub (see post below), so I still had the camera in my hands.

These three cats are all from the same litter that we got from a neighbor the year after we moved to Ovando.  (We since convinced them to let us spay the momma cat.)  Our first winter here we had lots of mice and other critters in the barn, and knew we needed some professionals to help with rodent control.

When they arrived as kittens, we first "homed" them in one of our animal cottages so they'd get very comfortable with people and dogs.  Once they got full-grown, we moved them out to Lena's Barn for barn cat duty. 

That's Skitter on the left, sister Smudge in the middle, and brother Smoke on the right.  (He's the world's most handsome barn cat.)  Let's face it, these are not your typical barn cats.  They're fed twice a day, have an igloo dog house in the barn with a heated bed for winter, and absolutely love people.  Our visitors and volunteers are frequently peeling these cats off them because they enjoy being held and cuddled so much. 

Watching yet another surprised visitor fend off the affections of one of these three, we say, "Ah, yes, that's one of our stand-offish barn cats.  They just don't like people for some reason."

(Click on photo for larger image.)

Comments

[ginger & Tobias (the greythound)]

Thanks for the photo of your great working barn cats. Smudge really has a sutible name. I'm surprised that they bother with mice, as they are fed twice a day. Are you sure you aren't housing the mice in some mice sized house somewhere on the ranch? After all, there are three blind mice.
Hugs,
ginger & Tobias

[Nina]

These pampered "barn cats" are sooo cute....they look like they have everything and everyone under control!!! Great kodak moment!

[Nancy]

I absolutely love the two triptychs, horse and cat! I bet barn duty at the ranch is tantamount to cat heaven. Let me know if you need any more kitty employees, I am a cat rescuer.

God bless!

Nancy

[Roz]

Skitter, Smudge and Smoke and just beautiful and a what a perfect shot: guarding the grain! Thanks.