“Dr. Science, I didn’t know there was a feral cat population in Presque Isle State Park!”
“Yes, Joey, there is. Although due to harsh winter conditions, ‘population’ more likely means transient individuals, such as strays wandering in over the ‘land bridge,’ or abandonments, or perhaps wide-ranging house cats from nearby neighborhoods.”
“Dr. Science, a ‘wide-ranging house cat from a nearby neighborhood’ wouldn’t be feral exactly, right?”
“You’re very astute, Joey. That means smart and observant. But take this example spotted recently by Dr. Science’s field team along the Duck Pond Trail. No houses around here!”
“That’s a beautiful cat, Dr. Science. It seems healthy.”
“Probably a reasonably steady diet of songbirds and chipmunks, Joey. House cats are great hunters.”
“Chipmunks!?! But they’re so cute, Dr. Science!”
“Probably also tasty, from a cat perspective, Joey.”
“Yuck. What’s going to happen to this cute kitty, Dr. Science?”
“No way to know, Joey – that’s nature for you. Hopefully it will wander back into inhabited areas, or be captured by the friendly park rangers for safe relocation to a good home.”
“Dr. Science, is the scientific name of the domestic house cat really ‘Felis Catus?’ That sounds made up.”
“Yes, it really is. … Say, Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?”
[Editor’s note: BirdingPI.com management apologies for the general goofiness of this post, which is clearly the result of either too much or too little black coffee. … Feral house cat pictures taken along the Duck Pond Trail @ Presque Isle State Park on 25 May 2024.]
Ooh, Dr. Seance: you are so smart! You even know the genius name of the cat. I am so impressed! Can you sometime find more cats and mabye catch them and take them home? I bet your doggies would love to have them to play with!
(I have just leanred to typo!)
Hello Dr Science,
that organic poultry diet really does wonders for a cat’s coat! we have a couple of rescue kitties that did quick and total work out of members of the not-so-native-thanks-to-year-round-feeding cardinal tribe. The cardinals are glad they are inside cats now.
Great post. “Airplane” made it into the fray I see…
Thanks for commenting. Must admit the entire structure of this post was just for the Airplane reference. However, the scientific commentary/conjecture is legitimate. This is only our second sighting of presumably feral house cat at Presque Isle in 4-5 years. So not common. (To put it into perspective, relatively many more sightings, even if only briefly, of American Mink, which is notoriously reclusive.)
Dear Dr. Science:
This is the Park Ranger you referred to. You will happy to know that the cat, whose name is actually Mittens, is being tracked by our wildlife specialist. He has put out some traps. So watch where you are walking!