Dead fountain – © Colehauscats.com
Back at the end of May, on Memorial Day to be exact, after nearly seven years of faithful service, our backyard fountain pump gave up. The fountain has been off ever since and Mom’s been a wreck with worry.
This isn’t to say there’s no water around the area. There’s a running creek down the hill just a block and a quarter mile over. Another yard or two have some kind of water feature running. It’s summertime so, people are probably running lawn sprinklers, even as we type this, and letting water go willy-nilly over sidewalks and down gutters. We are not a dry wasteland.
Every so many days, Mom puts some water in the lower fountain basin and at night, listens to raccoons play and wash themselves. Birds have no way to bathe themselves right now and the hummingbirds are fairly frustrated at the moment, but help is on the way.
Perhaps.
Dad purchased a new pump and someone is coming out today to install it. Fingers crossed all goes well and we’re back up and running. Of course, there has to be someone who’ll miss the dry fountain. That would be the Cat That Is Not Ours.
Teese naps in the dry fountain bowl – © Colehauscats.com
About the same time the fountain died (and our main sprinkler system valve started leaking because why let the dead fountain pump have all the fun, right?), the neighborhood lost Chunky. Mom learned a bit about his plight but we were unable to move fast enough to help.
Last photo of Chunky – © Colehauscats.com
Chunky was the huge boy who visited early in the mornings and came to muscle every other cat, feral or not, away from the feeding stations. One morning, he looked his usual self but we noticed he was dropping worms with every step. Mom immediately went on the hunt to find his home to talk to his owner and discovered something that still boggles her mind.
Chunky’s original owners dropped him off at the humane society to be euthanized when they moved from the next street over. The woman who bought their house learned of this and immediately rushed to save Chunky… and she did, only to then allow Chunky to roam the same neighborhood streets as he had for the past two years. She wished Chunky to be a “neighborhood cat” in which everyone else would look after him. She wanted to save him, but didn’t want him living inside.
Chunky, a visiting neighborhood cat – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
Mom heard all this second- and third-hand from other neighbors for when she tried to talk to Chunky’s person, she was never home, no matter the time of day or night. Another neighbor who used to work with abandoned animals briefly took up Chunky’s cause and then suddenly, Mom couldn’t find Chunky anywhere. And no one wanted to talk about him. And that’s where things sit.
That was at the end of May. We’re thinking good thoughts about Chunky and thank him for visiting us.
A week or so later, another neighborhood cat went missing.
Visiting neighbor cat Z – © Colehauscats.com
Z lives nearby with three other outside-only cats, all who visit regularly (when our fountain is running, that is). Z is the sweetest petite girl and just wants to be around people. So, it was tough to learn she had been missing for nearly a week, then two weeks. All kinds of thoughts crossed Mom’s mind and just about the time she had steeled herself to the real possibility this was just the way things were going to go this year, Z was found at the humane society by their owners. She was found some five miles away, still wearing her cat bowl activating collar that did nothing to help because she didn’t have a microchip. You can believe she does now! Her owners say she’s “legal and everything,” but she still doesn’t stay inside. *sigh*
Visitor Z spies a big bird – 2016 © Colehauscats.com
One of Z’s siblings has also taken a liking to our dry fountain. B/P also likes that she blends in nicely with the surrounding boulders. Mom celebrated a first the other day when ultra skittish B/P let herself be petted.
B/P and her camouflaging fur – © Colehauscats.com
Other happenings over our month-long hiatus (we didn’t go anywhere; we haven’t taken vacation since 2000):
– We rebuilt a set of backyard steps that our winter rains had washed downhill.
– We lost two good friends.
– Mom finished sixteen weeks of French classes… and still can’t speak more than a word or two.
– Ruby, Sunny, Quint, Miss Newton, and the Dad had their yearly checkups. More on this later.
– Entire neighborhood has been grilled asked if they know where Teese’s home is. No one’s admitting anything.
Still, this is not our cat:
Nope, not one of ours – © Colehauscats.com
Neither is this one:
Daytime visitor – © Colehauscats.com
Nope, not our cat – © Colehauscats.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Previously on Colehaus Cats:
2016 – No post
2015 – Ruby Tuesday
2014 – Mancat Monday
2013 – No post
2012 – No post
Your garden is beautiful!
Our Mama feels sad about Chunky. People can be so clued out even when trying to be well- intentioned!
We hope your hiatus recharged your batteries 🙂
the critters in the cottage xo
That is too bad about Chunky. Outside cats do have a rough life unless there is someone there to feed them. A lot of cats really like being outside rather than shut up inside and to me, if that is what makes them happy, that is important too..
I agree, poor Chunky. I thing a dry fountain is a better napping spot!
Ohhh seems everything goes at one time. Hopefully the new pump will work like a charm
Hugs madi your bfff
Chunky…if no one will speak of him then I fear the worst. I hope he didn’t suffer at the hand of anyone. That is the only hope I have for him.
We are sorry to hear about Chunky being left outside and hope he will be given food.
Dat’s too bad about Chunky.
Poor Chunky. Why are people so neglectful? 🙁
What’s WRONG with people?!?! Outside only, “neighborhood” cats?!?! I don’t know how you keep your cool. We did miss you all in June … just to let you know we care 🙂
chunky & Z….we troo lee hope ewe iz aye oh kay; we R sorree ; we send good thoughtz yur way az well ~~~~~~ ♥♥♥
You have a beautiful garden. We are jalous. Everything is so dry around here.
The black cat is lucky. Without a microchip you are a nobody cat. I cannot believe that some people let they cats outside without microchip.
So your mum tried to learn french. French is a difficult langage with so many strange rules…
Have a nice week end.
Natacha
We’re sorry for Chunky, outdoor life is rough. You have such a beautiful garden ! Your mom is a hero, French is such a difficult language to learn : you write A, but you say B ! Purrs
That is so sad about Chunky- how do people live with themselves when they bring a cat to a shelter to be killed? Poor guy, I hope he is OK.
Wow, your garden is beautiful. We can see why the fountain is a popular spot. We’re sorry to hear about Chunky and Z…well, at least Z was found.
Poor Chunky 🙁 That’s heartbreaking and I sure hope he’s somewhere safe. Teese…is that really a comfortable nap spot???
Your garden is lovely and I can see why it is so popular with the visitors. Poor Chunky. I hope he didn’t or isn’t suffering somewhere.
That is so sad about Chunky. I am trying to not think of what could have happened.
Whoa! That’s a lot of visitors. Why can’t people keep their cats inside?
That’s so sad about Chunky. On a lighter note dad says B/P is totally a Kliban cat with that expression! Best to y’all!!
Your garden is beautiful, even when your fountain isn’t working. 🙂
We are sad about Chunky. Why do people think it’s okay to just leave their cats outside?
RIP dear Chunky… And all the best with your water pump. Such a lovely garden. Purrs from Deb and the Zee/Zoey gang