We're in Hawai'i on Big Island.
We have many fruit trees scattered througout the yard that draw rats.
Rat lung worm is a problem in our area.
I had been scattering slug and snail bait and setting poison bait boxes trying to help, control the vectors for the parasite.
We had talked about getting a cat to assist in the rat abatement for quite awhile.
Finally, M'Lady said there was a "Christmas Sale" at the "Dog Pond", buy one cat get one free, such a deal.
We went by and picked a couple out, two black males.
I am very partial to black cats.
The acted as if they were litter mates, making them a good pair choice.
We picked them up after having their plumbing ammended.
They were designated as "Outdoor Cats".
They live on the screened back lanai.
After they acclimated to calling here home, I installed a pet door on the lanai entry screen door.
They quickly became an integral part of the family.
Every morning we go out with our morning coffee, feed them, and spend some time with them, now a ritual.
They are our primary source of comic relief.
Being "Outdoor Cats", they are not the most civilized, not the most well mannered, not the most docile of cats.
I lived in Alaska for almost 35 years, working in bush vilages much of the time.
They reminded me of bush kids, rowdy, noisy, not many rules to follow, but good kids.
They were constantly sneaking into the house, crawling under and tearing up ther bottom of the roll-up screen doors, just to be near us.
Just this week we finally gave in and began to alow them access to the house, no more chasing them out with a squirt bottle.
Last night they were allowed to stay the full night.
Naturally, they slept on out bed.
That will take a bit of getting used to.
I can't find the pics of them, so I just took a couple more quick and dirty ones for this post.
Hunter
The name was given with great expectations for his rat killing powers.
Also called Tubby, Fat Cat, Einstein, and a few other less flattering names.
He is the "needy" one, a lap cat that loves his morning massage at all hours of the day.
He has a lumbering walk much like a large predatory cat, lion, tiger, etc.
He's also a bit of a klutz, tripping over his feet a lot.
Then, there is Dexter
He came by that name because he would climb up the screen enclosing the lanai to escape between the screen and the roof, before I put in the pet door.
He is also called Slim, Skinny Cat, Dummy, the less politicaly correct Pansy Cat, and Pussy Foot, because of his mincing style of walking.
He also is called a lot of other less flattering names.
He is the tree climber extrordinaire.
He doesn't like to be picked up, or sit on a lap.
He just loves to be near us and forces us to bend over to reach him on the ground to pet him.
He is also the rat catching champion.
He is our favorite.
I've come to the site because of questions about cat "body bug" control to be addressed in another forum.
We have many fruit trees scattered througout the yard that draw rats.
Rat lung worm is a problem in our area.
I had been scattering slug and snail bait and setting poison bait boxes trying to help, control the vectors for the parasite.
We had talked about getting a cat to assist in the rat abatement for quite awhile.
Finally, M'Lady said there was a "Christmas Sale" at the "Dog Pond", buy one cat get one free, such a deal.
We went by and picked a couple out, two black males.
I am very partial to black cats.
The acted as if they were litter mates, making them a good pair choice.
We picked them up after having their plumbing ammended.
They were designated as "Outdoor Cats".
They live on the screened back lanai.
After they acclimated to calling here home, I installed a pet door on the lanai entry screen door.
They quickly became an integral part of the family.
Every morning we go out with our morning coffee, feed them, and spend some time with them, now a ritual.
They are our primary source of comic relief.
Being "Outdoor Cats", they are not the most civilized, not the most well mannered, not the most docile of cats.
I lived in Alaska for almost 35 years, working in bush vilages much of the time.
They reminded me of bush kids, rowdy, noisy, not many rules to follow, but good kids.
They were constantly sneaking into the house, crawling under and tearing up ther bottom of the roll-up screen doors, just to be near us.
Just this week we finally gave in and began to alow them access to the house, no more chasing them out with a squirt bottle.
Last night they were allowed to stay the full night.
Naturally, they slept on out bed.
That will take a bit of getting used to.
I can't find the pics of them, so I just took a couple more quick and dirty ones for this post.
Hunter
The name was given with great expectations for his rat killing powers.
Also called Tubby, Fat Cat, Einstein, and a few other less flattering names.
He is the "needy" one, a lap cat that loves his morning massage at all hours of the day.
He has a lumbering walk much like a large predatory cat, lion, tiger, etc.
He's also a bit of a klutz, tripping over his feet a lot.
Then, there is Dexter
He came by that name because he would climb up the screen enclosing the lanai to escape between the screen and the roof, before I put in the pet door.
He is also called Slim, Skinny Cat, Dummy, the less politicaly correct Pansy Cat, and Pussy Foot, because of his mincing style of walking.
He also is called a lot of other less flattering names.
He is the tree climber extrordinaire.
He doesn't like to be picked up, or sit on a lap.
He just loves to be near us and forces us to bend over to reach him on the ground to pet him.
He is also the rat catching champion.
He is our favorite.
I've come to the site because of questions about cat "body bug" control to be addressed in another forum.
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From one black cat lover to another, welcome to TCS! 
