Wow, dude. You done good!
This morning we heard a thunk. I looked out to see a bushy tail. My first thought was that Goo was alarmed at something, but the words out of my mouth were ‘Is that a squirrel?’ A black squirrel turned around and scampered from where it was near the French doors, to the yard side of the catio, whereupon it went through the fence and out into the yard. Tonka was reclining on the middle chair on the railing side of the catio, looking rather disinterested. He watched our visitor, but never took up a hunting posture. He just lay there like, ‘Oh, look. It’s a squirrel.’ The squirrel is very fortunate Goo wasn’t outside. She’s a hunter.
The squirrel must have come from the roof, probably down one of the roof posts, and then hopped down onto the deck.
Wow. The best part, Tonka could care less.
Tonka likes to look at them, but he’s never shown any inclination to chase them. The late Creamsicle caught one once. It may have survived. Goo loves her ‘bird on a stick’, and she tries to catch flying insects (and spiders). She would have chased it.
My 2 have never encountered a furry mammal. But birds have flown in the open doors. It’s a fun rodeo, for them. I’m chasing behind hoping I can at least keep breakables from hitting the floor. Or prevent bird-a-cide.
I KNOW they would chase a squirrel, if given a chance.
Our homemade catio hosted squirrels, a baby opossum, snakes, worms, bats, and yellow jackets, all of which attracted sometimes-fatal cat attention. The new structure should decrease mammals. We’re waiting on the painter, so I’ll link to a photo either this fall or next spring.