I think I have mentioned a few times that Cloudy is the Best Barn Cat Ever. We actually had a wonderful predecessor to Cloudy named Barney. Yes, Barney the barn cat. My dad came up with that name and I’m pretty sure he must have pulled an all-nighter to produce a name as creative as Barney for the barn cat. By the way, Barney turned out to be a girl and she had a nice, long life with us.
Cloudy has been with us on the farm for about ten years. He is wonderful about keeping a close eye on the new arrivals for a couple of days. He naps on the ledge in their stall, or sits in front of the quarantine paddock when they are turned out and is generally a constant presence around a new horse for the first couple of days. His attention is short lived though as he moves on to other things after a new retiree has been here for a day or two.
I actually cat-napped Cloudy from another barn. I was traveling back from an out of state horse show and laid over for the night at a barn about halfway between home and the horse show. Cloudy was the cutest little kitten and would attack my wraps as I was rolling/unrolling them and climb up my jeans and generally demanded attention. I was asking one of the guys who worked at the barn about him and they had gotten him from someone in a free to a good home type of deal.
Their idea of a good home was different than mine as they didn’t plan to neuter him, vaccinate him or feed him. I hardly slept that night fretting over this adorable kitten’s fate. I got to the barn really early the next morning to wrap and load my horse and drive the few hours home. No one was at the barn yet so I made the executive decision to take the kitten with me. Since he was climbing all over me I didn’t have to look very hard for him! I seriously doubt they ever noticed he was gone. So I am publicly admitting that a) I stole the cat and b) he did not just show up at the barn.
We have another barn cat named Olivia. You have never seen a picture of Olivia and that probably is not going to change. Olivia is quite shy and somewhat elusive. She and Cloudy are great friends but Olivia is not in to having her picture taken. I mostly see Olivia when I am up in the hay loft during the day or when I am in the barn to do my last check at night before going to bed. She is often in the aisle of the barn at night but not during the day. Olivia is definitely nocturnal.
These are pictures of Cloudy from today. I took these as Cloudy “helped” me unload some feed and shavings from the truck.
Who is that strange cat looking at me?
Walking on the shavings
Good thing the truck has a bed liner
Is he cute or what?
