Dear Diary, I'm a bit concerned about a little runt kitten birthed by Bessie. My human calls her SaraSue. The thing's a scheming little pistol. Doesn't matter who opens the deck door, in she darts. Not an iota of fear in this mere iota of a feline. She's bold. Just this morning she aligned herself with my good buddy Osiris. Osiris is the household sage. He's the wise old man of our fivesome. Look how she creeps up on Osiris, then plants herself within inches of his head. Clever. To know she can place herself just so close, but not to touch him. I suppose she thinks she'll be moving into the house full-time soon. Whatever. My human has been adament so far about putting her back out after giving her a little food. We'll have to see what happens.

Dear Diary, been hanging outside with the other cats a lot lately. Didn't think I'd ever say this, but I miss the roosters crowing. It is easier to hear the blue jays now. But their sound is harsh and has no music to it. Yep. Definitely miss the roosters.

Dear Diary, been laying around outside watching BC's kits play in the yard. She's been secretive about this batch of offspring. Must be feeling secure now that the war is really over. The manchild had to take out another coon to stop the killing. Farm took quite a beating in the war: lost 3 roosters, 27 hens, 10 ring-neck doves, 5 kittens. Coons lost: 2. Been peaceful now for several days. Humans beefed up fences / cages around doves and chickens; managed to catch most chickens & get them back into the coop. And BC, magic mama that she is, managed to keep her 4 babes alive through it all.

Dear Diary, long night. Her man-child did it. Sad but necessary. Chicken carnage should be over. The duck this critter got last night didn't die, but it's head looks rather like hamburger. My human tried to catch the duck today to tend it's wounds. Duck ran fast and hid well. Carol will get some help tomorrow tracking it down. Let's hope the war is finished and peace will reign again.

Dear Diary, I've been watching out the window tonight. My human's man-child is up on the pump house roof watching for the coon. So far this night's only visitors have been possums. Possums are neutrals in the current war, having committed no known offenses so far. Well, that's if you don't count how they look an offense. Nothing good looking about a possum. They're just plain ugly. Possums want to eat cat food. Amazing how many animals risk their lives for cat food left-overs. Chickens are staying away from the coop. They're scattered about the farm in trees -- out on the thin brances where even my relatives wouldn't venture. Ducks are locked up in their pen, a relatively secure enclosure. Hope the man-child doesn't fall asleep up there and roll off the roof.

Dear Diary, the war continues. Coon has scored 2 more chickens and a big white duck. Humans possibly wounded coon, but no real evidence. July 4 humans were up most of the night taking pot shots at a very visible coon. It hurriedly limped away after the first shot, but was back 3 more times looking for food, so there is some doubt as to it's wound. Here's a possibility -- maybe there is more than one racoon. Tension is in the air. Egg production is down. None of the farm residents are safe. Some lives are at risk, some forfeit sleep. Stress is in the air.

Racoon

Dear Diary, I could have told them. But no, they don't want to listen to me, a mere cat. When I chased that racoon off the other day I got in trouble. None of the other cats do anything about it...they just sit there and stare at it or hiss a bit and walk away. So when I saw it eating their food, I chased it. Melissa was outside and you'd think I'd run into the highway or something. She chased me down, grabbed me, scolded me, and put me in the house. They were picking up dead chickens before I chased it and they are still picking up dead chickens. But now they KNOW the racoon is the one killing the dumb birds. Now my human's man has a gun and we all have to be careful not to get in the line of fire because he's shot a lot of times and the coon is still running around killing. Two more dead ones in the coop this morning. They smell. Not hard to know something's dead. The humans thought the coop was safe. They beefed it up, checked the wire, looked for loose boards. Coon is smarter I guess. It's war now. No negotiations. Coon will surely die in the end. It should have stuck to eating cat food. Suppose that's what happened to Indi mom's kits. Coon food.