Thursday, March 28, 2024
backyard wildlife habitatcat photographscatscookiedaily photosenior catstortoiseshell cats

Find Cookie in this Picture

cat in leaf litter
Find Cookie in this picture.

Yes, tortoiseshell cats blend perfectly into any landscape! I constantly lose Cookie as her speckles and patches are perfectly camouflaged by leaves and mulch and moving shapes of sun and shadow through the trees. I was watching her out of the corner of my eye as usual but suddenly she disappeared! She hadn’t—she just sat down for a little break. She’s going to have to suffer the indignity of a flourescent pink collar lest I suffer the misfortune of a heart attack if I can’t find her—in plain sight!

cat with sawdust
Cookie with sawdust on her head.

We pitiful humans need feline supervision no matter what we do, even if it’s something no kitty would ever stoop to endeavor such as tree trimming and lawn clean up. Cookie is a specialist in everything.

This area was always shady under the high branches of the trees, mostly my neighbors’  and I encouraged woodland plants to grow in the shade and undergrowth. About ten years ago a mulberry tree sprouted in the corner of the yard and spread over the area somewhat close to the ground, providing a little too much shade for some of the plants.

photo of mulberries
Mulberries on a Summer Morning

However, it provided the best mulberries I have ever, EVER, tasted, like big deep purple blackberries, sweet and juicy and just falling off the tree. Really, when the tree was ready to bear these farthest branches touched by the sun would lean down toward the earth so that I didn’t even need to use a ladder but could stand and readily harvest them. I always felt as if the tree was telling me, “Look, now, my berries are just right, come and harvest, and make your jelly and juice and wine and dye and extracts, use my berries for all they are worth because there is more than enough for you and all the birds and animals.”

I had been about to remove her because I loved my shade garden and so did all my cats, but with all that, who could resist?

But two years ago the ice storm pulled her down and partially uprooted her. I tried to prop her and encourage her to produce her berries, but it appears she is done. I’ve been trimming back and cutting sections with lopping shears and pruning saw but leaving the lovely arching branches that have held my bird feeders for the past decade. I am looking forward to the renewal of my shade garden; with the iron will of these wild flowers I’ve no doubt they will return on their own since trees grow and fall all the time in the woods.

bench in greenery
My old bench.

I’m looking forward to spending time on my bench again to read and sketch and think and watch the birds, and commune with my little kitty memorial spot which is behind but near there. Perhaps Cookie and I will sit out there some sunny late afternoon this autumn.

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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

6 thoughts on “Find Cookie in this Picture

  • I was able to see Cookie immediately, but I can imagine that it would be much more difficult actually searching for her in the yard! She looks quite stealthy!

    Reply
    • Heather, yes, in three dimensions with a little bit of movement in the leaves and such, it’s more difficult, but I wouldn’t be surprised your artist’s eye could find her right away!

      Wonderful article about black cats on Squidoo! I’ll have to share that, so complete! I never understood what Squidoo was all about, but I know it was an early social networking platform.

      Reply
  • Sounds like the mulberry tree has quite a history! I could see Cookie straight away 🙂 The inpending pink collar could be a story that runs and runs!

    Reply
    • Oh, that mulberry tree! I develop deep relationships with what grows in my yard, I should let myself do that, but I did adore that mulberry.

      It would have helped hide her if I hadn’t centered her in the picture! I’ll have to get a photo of her with the collar–that has a bell too! I adore the Wrath of Cookie.

      Reply
  • Oh my goodness, it’s cammo kitty! She sure blends in. It’s good to see her enjoying the outdoors, even if she nearly gave you a heart attack 🙂

    Reply
    • Ingrid, she does it all the time, and she’s really deaf! I don’t care what she thinks of the pink collar, she’s going to have to live with it.

      I could tell she missed this area of the yard too. It was always her favorite hangout from nearly our very beginnings, but had grown too dense for her to walk into. As soon as I cleared enough along the ground she was right in there with me–which has its perils as well, though I only use hand tools when my cats are outside with me. It’s just so good to see her feeling this way again.

      Reply

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