Oscar Returns

Life has been interesting since Ewen arrived a few weeks ago. The horses will never forget Ewen running around the farm wearing the cone of shame. Ewen definitely has some quirks and issues that we are trying to work through, namely keeping him off the road (he can jump the fence easily, will take the shock from an electric fence, and he can jump over a stall door) but he is a really sweet dog and we’re doing our best to give him a good home. Keeping Ewen contained is not for the faint of heart but we are trying hard.

There is one resident of the farm who has been most displeased since Ewen arrived, and that would be our stray, feral cat Oscar. Ever since Ewen arrived Oscar, unsurprisingly, had stopped coming around. At this time of year Oscar usually comes a few times a week to get fed. Once the weather gets colder he comes every day. He comes onto our back porch and looks in our kitchen door, meowing loudly. He has us trained well as we spring into action, rushing around to find him food and serving it to him promptly on the porch. When we come out to feed him he runs back to the woods, and then returns to the porch to eat after we go back inside the house.

As I’ve mentioned before Oscar might be a stray and feral, but he definitely has champagne taste when it comes to food. He does not, under any circumstances, eat dry cat food. Apparently he would rather starve to death, literally, than eat dry cat food. If you put some out in a bowl for him at best he walks away. If he is feeling extra grumpy he slaps the bowl with a paw as hard as he can to knock it over, and then leaves. We feed Oscar canned or fresh salmon, canned tuna, and canned cat food (pates only please).

As I mentioned, once Ewen began hanging around Oscar stopped showing up. We hadn’t seen him for five weeks. Finally, he came back a couple of days ago. Ewen was with me at the front barn and Jason was working around the house when he heard Oscar meowing. Oscar stayed outside the fence by the woods but Jason heard him. Of course he dropped what he was doing and rushed in the house to get Oscar two cans of cat food. He had to put the cat food by the fence as Oscar was unwilling to come to the porch. Following is our text conversation about Oscar:

Jason text: Oscar is back! Put two cans out for him. He is meowing like crazy. Don’t come to the house.

Melissa text: Did you see him or just hear him?

Jason text: I can see him now, he is approaching the food. Very vocal! Seems healthy.

Melissa text: Good

Jason text: Yes. Stay where you are until I tell you otherwise.

Melissa text: Didn’t actually send one. Insert Melissa rolling her eyes here, I don’t need to be told twice to stay away from my own house while the feral cat eats. I know better than to disturb Oscar.

Jason text: He ate all the food. Just put out two more cans. Don’t think he’s going to eat them.

Melissa text: I’m not done cleaning stalls anyway.

Jason text: Wait at least five more minutes

Jason text: He is back at the food

Jason text: When he is finished I will let you know.

I’m not sure why we tiptoe around this cat that won’t allow us to be within ten feet of him, yet we have been doing so for a long time so clearly we are getting something out of this relationship?? Oscar has been coming around for three years now so I think it is safe to say that we’re never going to be on friendly terms with him. Oscar says jump, we say how high, and that is the extent of our relationship with him.

Jason and I were both thrilled that Oscar was back, and he came again tonight. Jason was cooking on the grill and heard Oscar meowing in the woods again. He immediately put Ewen in the house and began barking orders at me. “Get me two cans of Oscar food! I need fresh water for him! Don’t open the door, don’t come outside!” As I said, Oscar says jump and we say how high. Welcome back Oscar.

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How we interact with Oscar; Jason sitting on the porch watching Oscar who is just behind the fence.

Oscar licking his lips; he approves of his canned pates. Our presence on the other hand, well he barely tolerates that in exchange for salmon, tuna and canned pate.