On the prowl

I think this is "it"--the final entry in Cybelle's Saga, at least as a separate entity. These two have now become part of the household, and next time I'll just fold them into the ongoing adventure of the Kaaawa cats.

This week Cybelle and Duke learned the cat door. It doesn't seem like a difficult lesson. Push the plastic flap and you're out. Or in. It took several days for them to get comfortable with the idea. But after getting over that conceptual hurdle, they've been spending time exploring the yard. Cybelle's the guide. Duke does sometimes venture out on his own, but he ends up retreating back to the house if they're separated for too long.

It seems to ramp up the adventure value whenever I join the expedition. Soon other cats start appearing from various directions. Usually it's Leo, then Kili, sometimes Ms. Wally, and Lindsey.

This is what happened the other day when Mr. Duke was surprised by Ms. Kili. Now where did Duke learn to arch his back and go into Halloween mode? Some of these classic cat poses are apparently hard wired into their tiny cat brains.

Duke meets Kili.

We're getting clumps of cats inside as well. Where Cybelle and Duke used to be left to their own devices, they're now an attraction. In this photo they're joined by Wally and Kili, who were just on the verge of full-scale playing.

Duke's lost his fear of the big cats. Now he holds his ground, or even starts to provoke interactions. He and Leo have done a few full-house runs, although he's still more likely to be found romping with Cybelle.

Now I can tell you how many cats we have. Eight. It's taken a while to reconcile our losses and fully appreciate our gains.

And so it goes. Five months after Cybelle's rescue and three months after her kittens were born, he saga comes to an end. And a beginning. Thanks for coming along for the ride.