Cinnamon's tail

Cinnamon was taking it easy in the heat. He is staying close to home, as well. I think I figured it out.

He was out Sunday night (Aug. 22), and Monday night. I just couldn't keep him awake in the day. We try to keep them indoors at night. Monday he was confined to barracks. Then he slept all day Tuesday. 

Wed., Aug. 26, he was out a half hour, back in sleeping. Now, he doesn't like the wood pellet kitty litter we have, so I think he went out to do his business. Then, he was in all day. This isn't normal. 

We dug up the deworming pills from the cat cupboard, and gave them both a pill. I wasn't sure if he wasn't well.

He seemed to want a walk, but stayed up the hill in the forest watching me go. This is most unusual. Usually, even if he is sleeping, I'll wake him up and ask if he wants 'walkies'. He'll get up and then come out with me. Thursday, he slept with us overnight, which was nice. It seemed a mystery. Thursday, he sat at the top of the hill, and wouldn't venture into the forest. That's a good thing. When I came around, he was on the edge of the forest, but didn't want to go into the meadow.

I thought it through, and wrote down his behaviour, to try process it. Then, I remembered, he was out Monday night, the night the carcass was on the empty lot: The circle of life. I'm betting he had an encounter with the coyote or fox. Probably climbed a tree. 

It took until Friday for him to come walkies. 

He sat here, at the bottom of the hill, on the edge of the meadow, meowing at me in the shade. I'd crossed the meadow.

Along he came... with a pouffy tail. That is a sure sign he is afraid of something. 

He kept up with me. My good little boi!

My poison oak infection is easing up with my meds. Here is one of the culprits. Even though I wore boots, I was careful. My five spots are nearly gone.

I've eradicated it elsewhere. This was mostly poison ivy (below, right, under the tree). I ripped up the vines around 2011. That was an adventure. I ended up at a dermatologist's office, and she recognized the rash right away. 

The poison oak is in a particular part of the forest. I simply wasn't careful this past week. It's good now. It is a specific pain: both painful and itchy at the same time.  It's a pretty forest. The wetland is in the background.

Cinnamon kept up and practiced his tree climbing skills.

Here he is atop the hill (below), our house in the background. Look at the wilted plants around him. We sure could use some regular rain. Our lawn is crunchy. We had 13 mm Sunday.

There are still crows around, hoping for more roadkill. You can see them beyond the dying sumacs.

I love the frogs. If you look closely, you can see about 6 of them, although I've counted 14 at the maximum last week. All but one are facing away from me! The bugs some down the side of the pond, and the froggies go for it.