A feather bed

We have an outdoor cat.

We call her........

Kat ......

Von D......

minus the Von D.

Kat and Daisy can look beyond their differences and have conversations while laying nose to nose.

It consists of Kat making a lot of 'rawraaaaaawwwwrrrrrraaar' sounds and Daisy intently giving head bobs and a whine to show understanding to Kat's feline issues.

Kat has given us patio gifts in the form of dead mice and small birds.

She always gets a pat on the back for her good works.

A few days ago, I could hear Kat  loudly meowing outside the door by her insulated kennel.

I opened the door to find Kat turning in circles and butting her head at my shin.

I tell her, "OK! OK!  I will feed you!"

As I bent down to pick up her dish, I can see why she was so proudly trying to get my attention.

She brought a little friend into her kennel-castle, and wanted me to see how well she had decorated for her new guest.

It was a large [dead] pigeon.

Kat had scattered the bird's feathers across her own blankets and climbed inside to roll around in the comfort of her new feather bed.

It was kind of gross and amusing at the same time.

Then I was taken back when Kat encased the dead bird into her paws and laid her head on top.  I realized that Kat is comforted by this bird  in a way a child is protected by a favorite stuffed animal.

We have since replaced the dead pigeon with a dollar store fuzzy toy.

Kat is not happy with us and I'm pretty sure I've heard her humming, in her sorrow, to the tune of 

'Cat's in the cradle" by Harry Chapin.

Kat's in the kennel,

and the stupid goon....

took away my bird,

the thing I used to spoon....

When you coming home bird,

I don't know when....

but here's a dollar store toy til then, 

Kat....

We can have a good time with that.....

Kat......

The 104th reason I never made it as a song writer!

OR an animal activist.