Cats in Our Midst - Barn Cats

On my walk on the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, I have met a group of barn cats near Ott Road over the last few months. An expectant mother cats was especially friendly during the summer. But on a mid-November Friday afternoon, two different cats carefully watched me as I walked by, while a third lurked in the underbrush several feet further away. The tortoise shell lingered, hiding behind some bushes; a blank-and-white shorthair was a little braver and stood on a large boulder eyeing me keenly. I squatted in a catcher’s stance for a couple of minutes to see if either were brave enough to come to me. A downy woodpecker tapped out a steady rhythm on a nearby tree, while a blue jay cried in alarm overhead. Both cats waited patiently as I remained quiet and watched. The black-and-white felt comfortable enough to lie down and begin to doze. Both were probably expecting something to eat, and I contemplated whether I should bring a small bag of cat food the next time I walk this section of the trail.