Not long ago, I introduced readers to Nestle, our chocolate Labrador Retriever. Nestle is one of the mascots of Serendipity Gardens. She is the sweet one.
The other mascot is Buster the cat. Buster came to us in 2002, a gift from a grandson who had rescued him from life on the street. When he was a kitten, we marveled at the size of his paws and ears.
“He’s going to be a big cat,” we said, over and over. That prophecy has come true. Buster weighs just over 20 pounds, and he is not really fat — just big. Unlike Nestle, who is unfailingly sweet, Buster has a mean streak. He is my “sweet, mean kittycat.”
He can be gentle, when he wants to be, but he will also turn on you. I have learned to be wary when I pet him, watching for that tell-tale switch of his tail that lets me know he doesn’t intend to put up with me much longer. I get my hand out of the way quickly to avoid Buster’s claws at those moments. I tell my grandchildren to avoid him.
To Go Outside or Not to Go Outside?
I have always struggled with whether or not to let Buster go outside. He loves it out there and always wants to go. He behaves better in general when he has a reasonable amount of outdoor time. He adores catmint in particular. He lies in it and rolls around, a look of blissful contentment on his face. He is getting a little high, I think. He likes to sniff around grass-like plants as well, and he loves a good roll on the patio. I think its hard surface scratches his back in a place he cannot reach.
He also loves to hunt.
One vivid memory I have is of Buster catching a baby rabbit. We heard the rabbit’s wild squeal — who knew a tiny thing like that could make such a huge noise? — and we made the cat let the bunny go. The little rabbit actually jumped into the pond and swam across it to safety, something I did not know rabbits could do. It was a moment of high drama in Serendipity Gardens.
Buster has also caught a snake and a few other small animals, which, catlike, he either plays with or beheads.
Cats and Birds
I have the biggest problem with the birds Buster stalks. I feel bad inviting birds to the garden by planting bird-friendly plants and then adding a predator to the mix who is not part of the natural ecosystem. The birds don’t like this big cat’s presence at all. You can tell he’s getting too close to a nest for their comfort by the loud chirps and squawks that punctuate the garden’s quiet.
I don’t have a good solution to my problem, so I compromise. I let Buster go outside on a limited basis, while trying to keep an eye on him. Whenever he shows a sign of hunting, I chase him inside, scolding all the way. After all, I think, he isn’t hunting because he is hungry, like the ecosystem natives are. He’s hunting because his instincts tell him to.
It seems to be problem I manage, rather than one I solve.
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