People that know me, KNOW  I don’t need another cat. But, the couple of older indoor/outdoor cats I have seem to be retired. They used to provide rodent control in the barn. I realized they are in retirement as the rodent population is swelling. I didn’t add Miracle Grow to make this happen. I am reluctant to use poisons as I do have dogs that would gladly eat anything they can get their mouths on. My house cats lead a protected life and have no clue about the evils of the outdoor world. They go out only in a safely contained area. Most have long, lovely coats that would collect dirt and debri if allowed to run free.

So, I made the decision to adopt MORE cats. I contacted Jess, the manager at Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA, and told her what I was looking for- short haired, friendly cats that would be good mousers. She offered up Joshua and Diego, claiming that they had been tested for job skills and passed. The two black cats were delivered to me at the hospital. I updated their vaccinations and took them home.

It’s been a week now. They are no longer caged in the barn, they have free access everywhere. Apparently they were at the shelter for over 18 months, so they seem pretty happy to be in this environment. Their new names are Waffles and Syrup. I have promised them food, water, parasite control and a heated pad in winter. They wear collars with IDs and are microchipped.  Here’s to a long and happy life here……and hopefully they WILL do their part and clear the barn of rodents.