There's a cat under our Christmas tree.

[trof]

Red Cat is the old orange tabby from next door.
He's a frequent, almost daily, (and welcome) visitor.
We keep food and a litter box for him.

He shows up at the back door and comes in and sleeps all day.
Around 4 or 5 p.m. he comes and finds one of us and meows "I'm ready to go home now."
And we let him out.
:-)

In cool weather, rare down here, he usually curls up on a dining room chair.
In nice weather he wanders out to the screened porch and sleeps on a cushioned chair out there.

But today, for whatever reason, he's sound asleep under the Christmas tree.
Maybe he wants to make the season last?
:shrug:

Yeah, the tree is still up.
It's artificial.
Tomorrow or the next day Miz t. will take all the Christmas decorations off.
Then she'll bring out all the Mardi Gras beads, masks, doo-dads, and baubles and it becomes...
THE MARDI GRAS TREE!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear trof!

What a cute story!

But...

Your tree...

Do you leave it up all year?

You know, Valentine's Day tree, Fourth of July tree, Thanksgiving tree?

Inquiring minds, and all that!

:shrug:

:rofl:

:hug:

[trof]

3. I've put forth that idea.

The possibilities are endless.
St. Patrick's Day tree, Birthday tree (2, Aug. and Oct.), Anniversary tree in April, and on and on.
It should be a permanent part of the decor.
;-)

[JeffreyWilliamson]

2. Huh.

I thought I was the only one that kept the tree up and redecorated for Mardi Gras. I did the deed last weekend after New Years. Beads, masks, lights, the whole 9 yards.

[trof]

4. I think Miz t. was the first in our area.

Now it's catching on.
How is the clean up going in Galveston?
Good friend of mine from the neighborhood is doing it.
His company has the contract for the city.

[TZ]

5. Thats a sweet story.

I'm sure the cat believes that the tree is there for his pleasure. So he's just letting you know that its his property and not to touch..:)

[trof]

6. He just left. Came in here looking for a lap.

I picked him up a stroked him for a minute.
Nope, not me.
He jumped down and walked over to Miz t.
Jumped up into her lap.
Curled up and started making biscuits.
She obviously has the best lap.
About 5 minutes later he jumped down and went to the door.
Ready to go home to his little girls now.
Cameron is 7 and Corinne is 4.
They're his 'regular' family, but they're in school and pre-school most of the day and he gets lonesome and comes over to hang out with us.

[TZ]

7. Awww.

So the kitty babysits you while his other humans are away..:)

[trof]

9. He mostly sleeps.

I think he knows this is a safe haven.
Nothing can 'get' him (coyotes, foxes, cougars, etc.) while he's here.
He is an EXTREMELY wary cat.
See the 'snakebit' reply.

[trof]

8. Another Red Cat story. He is truly snakebit.

We have water moccasins.
I rarely see one, but we live on a bay and I know they're around.
I guess Red Cat seeks them out.
He's quite a hunter and feisty.
He's been bitten at least 4 times by my count.

I always know when I see him walk by with a big swollen shaved spot on his leg. Sometimes he has stitches. That means he's already been to the vet.
We usually get a report from his owners.
Oh well, he still has 5 lives to go?
:shrug: