We've Created a Monster . . .

We have a strict "No Animals in the House" policy.  I figure we spend enough time taking care of animals outside the house that we don't need to take care of (or clean up after!) them inside.  So we have no indoor critters.

Well, except for Lucky, of course.  Initially she was too little to be outside and as she grew older, well, we couldn't just kick her out.  Plus, every time we put her outside she would sit on the light by the front door and fly in whenever the door was opened.  So she was mostly indoors. 

Here DD has to cover up her bowl because BB (Bad Bird) is trying to steal her food.  She was quick! 

 

And then there was that time when the baby goat was sick so we had to bring her inside for a day (or two) . . .

 

 

And, of course, the baby chicks live in the basement in the brooder box for two weeks after they're hatched until they are big enough to move out to the barn.

 

 

And then, as I was looking through old photos I came across this one . . .

 

 

This is our farm dog, Fynn.  He's looking quite at home as he sits . . . on a chair . . . at our table!  Apparently one of the children let him into the house and recorded the event with a photo.  We do let the dogs into the basement at night during the winter but, really, sitting at the kitchen table is a bit much - even for my favorite dog!

 

Recently, despite this strict "No Animals in the House" policy that we rigidly enforce, we let one of the barn cats into the house.  This is Hobbes.

 

 

She was perfectly content as a barn kitty.  She had never been up to the house.  In fact, even as a small kitten when we first got her and Alice, her litter mate, we put them both in a room in the barn so they would learn that was their home. 

It's good to have a couple of barn cats not just to keep the mice out of the barn but also to keep stray cats off the property.  Feral cats will take up residence and, since they're not fixed, the population can quickly get out of hand.  We like to keep friendly, and fixed!, cats in the barn to stave off this problem. 

And Hobbes was satisfied with her lot in life until she wandered into the house one day.  Someone, I don't remember who, though it would be funny to bring her in and watch her reaction to seeing herself in the living room mirror.  She thought that was just fine and, in fact, began to make herself quite at home; stretching out on the carpet . . .

 

And, eventually, finding the soft, warm throw DD keeps on her bed.

 

 

She quickly and firmly made up her mind that she is now an indoor/outdoor kitty.  This idea was so firmly entrenched, that when DD bent to pick her up off her bed, Hobbes hissed and growled at her and even tried to bite her hand!  (This is totally out of character for this cat.)  DD had to pick up the whole bundle, blanket and cat, to dump Hobbes back out onto the front porch.

 

Now when it's cold or wet or dark or for any other excuse she can use, Hobbes regularly dashes between the two dogs to dive in the front door.  We see her there in the dark, hiding under the van, biding her time . . .  We've created a monster.