"No more cats, Mom"

That's the posting my beautiful, and catless, younger daughter left on my facebook wall.

Like I have any say in it.

The little calico cat that has been hanging around, looking in the windows and eating my catfood is one of the rarer of the rare, a male tricolor. This is exceptionally good news, as male calicos and tortoiseshells are almost universally sterile, so I do not have to trap this fellow and get him neutered.

Last night he was back, looking in the patio door, just like Longshanks did last winter. Goose was desperately trying to get his attention, grey paws insistently pummelling the door glass, the panhandler dozing, sprawled on the warm brick terrace with his back turned toward the door, oblivious to kitten overtures and curiosity. He is wary, this one, and will not have commerce with the two-legs, preferring to skulk through the tangled beautyberry and appear again at a time of his choosing. Where did he come from, how have I not seen him before this summer? So thin, so thin.....