Several years ago two kittens were left on our back step. We chose to keep on and the neighbors were keeping another. It was winter, right at Christmas, and sadly the one we chose was not as healthy as she needed to be to come inside with our existing neutered big red cat (who was waiting not too patiently for a playmate!). She had to be on antibiotics for thirty days. In the meantime - to make this story short - my husband built what we called the "cat house". This was a hardwood box with a doorway and a windbreak so she could get in behind the wall and stay warm on her nice family heirloom quilt lovingly placed inside.
One night I went out to feed her and she wasn't at the door. So, not thinking about anything other than finding her, I reached into the Cat House and my fingers were greeted by a rough coated something. That something was our neighborhood mother skunk along with her two darling babies. They all three came out, with blinking eyes due to the bright porch light, proceeded to empty the cat dish of kibbles. The mother was finished quickly and walked down the steps and on out to the back of the yard. I'm sure they normally slept under various sheds along the property lines.
Once we could bring the kitten in, they kept coming to the back door. I'd look at the glass and they would be standing up on their hind legs, pawing away like crazy for food. Sadly we had to quit feeding them and they moved on. But what a wonderful time we had before they left. Not once did they spray or exhibit any protective reaction to us.
The short of this story is that after all of these years, our Gordon Setter got down wind of one last week and within days, the neighbors Jack Russell took a direct shot to the face from one. He is now afraid to even leave their patio area in the dark.
Great article. Our neighbors in the farm across the road take sport in shooting them and my heart breaks whenever I hear the gun shots.
