Every farm needs a few cats.
They are like a good, multi-purpose accessory. They provide picturesque atmosphere. They entertain children – small and large. And when left to roam the farm at will — all important rodent control.
We had a compact farm, small dairy herd, and only a few cats at a time. The milk cows received a ration of ground grain morning and evening. In this old-fashioned barn, a metal barrel stood in the corner and we’d dump one or two burlap sacks of feed into it, then dispense it with a small pail, some to each animal.
One day my brother dumped a sack of feed into the barrel and exposed a mouse. We thought fast and scooped up a half-grown kitten, not an adult hunter. It was a face off for the first several seconds. The mouse had no escape. The kitten was intrigued by this animal, very similar to lunch brought in by mother.
An extended paw. A small pounce. A skill learned. We lifted the cat, with dinner firm in her jaws, out of the metal barrel.
Every farm needs a few cats. Out in the barn. Catching mice.
Go to the Starr Tree Farm page of this web site for information on my August 5 release from Crimson Romance.
