Sassy cats — The neighbors

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This is the border planting we put in this spring. The steep slope makes mowing hazardous. The plants will eventually grow together and block out weeds. The catmint is blooming.

I live next to a crazy cat lady just like me (or maybe even worse!). In addition to her indoor cats, she feeds three semi-ferals that hang around her home. They are around six or a little older. They don’t travel far but I’ll seem them in my yard occasionally. They are well fed and have outdoor heated (when necessary) beds. They live a great life and keep the mice and chippie population in check.

In the spring, we had a long border of shrubs planted between our properties (pictured above). Most of the plants will grow together into a hedging. The slope there is very steep and mowing was a challenge. There are some nepeta sibirica plants commonly called catmint or “Walkers Low” (the variety). It’s not catnip but the same family and the ferals have taken to lounging around them.

This is Whiskers sunning himself! He is a gorgeous fluffy cat! The other cats were camera shy!

All the local felines and the peeps who serve them wish you a great weekend.

45 thoughts on “Sassy cats — The neighbors”

  1. Your neighbor is like my friend Carol whom we have discussed many times – the two of them have a hearts of gold, with the heated beds for Winter and your neighbor likely has heated dishes for water and food in Winter as well. Carol even belongs to a feral cat society and makes up gift baskets to be raffled off for funds to help ferals in need.

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  2. Your border is really lovely, Kate. I think having a few feline lawn ornaments is a nice addition, too! Just hope they don’t squash all the plants. 🙂

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    • He is. There used to be a neighbor that hated cats but he moved. He called animal control several times but our area is rural and there is no jurisdiction for outside cats. He is plump and happy. Their caretake has fancy outdoor huts for them that are heated in cold weather. People should be so lucky!

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  9. What a gorgeous cat. I don’t know how the long haired cats manage the feral life, but I guess they do. I just want to pick that cat up and brush him or her!!

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  10. That border is already gorgeous but once it’s all filled in – WOW……Teddy loves catmint – doesn’t like catnip though (yeah I know….strange). We have some in our front garden and he goes nuts over it. The visiting cat is gorgeous!

    Hugs, Pam

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  11. I think you must live next to my friend Cindy. She becomes very attached to the ferals and has adopted some of them. She adopted a cat she felt that it’s people didn’t care for it enough so she fed it and it started coming inside. It wasn’t her car and she got really upset when the people who did own it re-homed the cat to a friend with a farm where the cat could safely roam.

    Your hedgerow looks amazing! I like those purple plants and the pretty kitty. Cindy’s cats used to love to sleep in my mint. They left the catnip alone unless I broke some off and bruised it, then they loved it. Her cat loved me and frequently brought be “gifts.” Some of those gifts were still alive so he could show me his amazing hunting skills.

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        • I had to harden my heart to the ferals. I had an outside cat that was probably dumped by summer people for a while but when he got beaten up by my three legged raccoon friend, I had to take him to be put down. I couldn’t find anyone to adopt him and couldn’t bring him inside because of my cat. Fortunately, my vet took him home to recover while he helped me search for a home and his wife fell in love with him. Never again can I allow myself to get so attached to a cat that’s not mine.

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          • It’s painful. I had one show up just before I moved in February. It was cold and he was eating the sunflower hulls under the bird feeders. My heart broke. I fed him but I was moving. I found a rescue to help out and he got rehomed but it was a wild ride. I fed him for a week inside my screened porch. He came to trust me and even play with a feather on a stick. I didn’t notice his clipped ear until the rescue showed up. I had to do some fast talking to get them to take him. He was young and why someone TNR’d him without trying to get him adopted was beyond me. He was gorgeous and playful and now lives with a woman and another cat. I already had four for I would have taken him myself. Oh yes, I was moving too. Too much stress.

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            • It really is hard. If I had the space and the money – and a vet that would come to me – I’d consider doing feral rescue. I admire those that do but I know my limits. I’m glad that your fuzzy friend found a home and is safe and happy now.

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  12. What a lovely border. And a very handsome cat! I planted nepeta years ago at the previous house but had to get rid of it because it drew too many bees and I was afraid it might become a problem with the dogs. But it’s beautiful and love the idea of a hedge of it.

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    • He is. Someone had him in their house for a year and decided they didn’t want him anymore. My neighbor already has a few cats so she takes care of him outside. It wouldn’t take much for him to revert to an indoor cat again.

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