We got Dennis the Girl and Lily as rescues from a local shelter. They were both considered spirit cats because of their previous homes.
A spirit cat is one you know is there but almost never see. Or just see a colored flash as they disappear.
Lily has become much less of a spirit cat as my husband has worked steadily with her. He can usually pick her up and pat her. But she disappears more often than not if I come to the barn. Unless I have her food, but sometimes even then.
Dennis has not changed a whit, even though he’s tried to work with her also. Her favorite place is on the seat of the riding mower in the sun. Sometimes, if you are quiet and careful, you can pat her briefly there.
Lily is a real homebody, seldom leaving the barn. She doesn’t hunt much. But Dennis is a great hunter and we see her all over the property, after chipmunks. Due to the lack of coyotes, we have a HUGE number of rodents. So Dennis the Girl is a happy cat.
The Small garden is a haven for ‘munks. There’s raspberries, acorns, plenty of weeds this year, and mulch in other years, and the air pipes in the compost for houses.
So this garden is one of Dennis’s favorite hangouts. I’ve not seen her up on the play structure slide before, usually she's sitting on top of the compost bins.
I took these photos from at least 50’ away. If I had gotten closer, she would have disappeared.
Once Freezer Camp is done this week, my husband will drag their haybox out of the loft and set it up in the bay window in the butchershop. They can be found there most times all winter long, usually with Lily sleeping on top of Dennis, but sometimes the reverse.