Carolyn's Critters

Dear Mom,
Can Charlie come with us on our walk? I think he wants to!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He does. I had considered introducing him to a harness and leash, so he could join us, but I probably won’t.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
You put a harness on Winston once and he freaked out. He claimed that his legs stopped working.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
He really got dramatic, didn’t he! He crouched down and wouldn’t walk. I had to give up on the idea of taking him out with us. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Winston panics at everything. Probably he shouldn’t go outside.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Good point. Charlie is a very calm cat, but I’d worry he’d get big ideas, get loose, and race out of the garden. We live on such a busy avenue – it’s too dangerous out there for a little cat.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
All three cats think they want to go out!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
They look out our windows and see all those birds in the garden, and people walking by with their dogs. They think they want to go out. But cars aren’t the only danger. There’s another reason our guys are Strictly Indoor Cats. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I know!!!!! The coyotes!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Very good. You’ve been paying attention. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
There are coyotes right here in our neighborhood!!!!! I can smell them.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
One of our neighbors took a picture of one in his back yard. In the middle of the day. They aren’t just out at night. And they’ve always been around.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
One of them peed on the Star Jasmine in our front yard.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That explains why you were so intense about that smell!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
It was so exciting! They are a kind of dog, so it’s like they are my cousins!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
There are folks around here who completely over-react to coyotes. They post to warn the neighborhood saying OMG they saw one on their street, like it’s a sudden invasion. And like we should all be terrified. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
But the coyotes don’t like humans! They don’t want anything to do with humans. They just want gophers, and squirrels. And voles and rats. And sometimes lizards and snakes.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Thank you. You said it very well. I wish you could explain that to the folks who are going all DEFCON1 about it, and want all the coyotes exterminated. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Coyotes also want cats.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Well of course the coyotes want the cats. Cats around here are lazy and well-fed. A perfect lunch. Which, of course, is why our guys are Strictly Indoor Cats. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
There’s a bobcat that sometimes comes around. And foxes.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
And once in a while a mountain lion comes into town, usually by mistake, but probably tracking a deer. We have a lot of deer around here.
Love Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I’m glad we live in a town with lots of wildlife. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Me too! And I’m glad the cats can enjoy it from their luxury window seats. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Except skunks. I’m not glad we have skunks.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That skunk was just minding his own business when you ran up to him barking like your hair was on fire. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
That was a huge mistake.
XOXO Poppy

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