Luxor4u

Another incident surprised us last night. Fran had just linked with Mum to ask how Kinkie was when Kinnie cat encountered the grey fluffy cat in the lane again. He started his yowling and Mum broke the link with Fran. She reconnected almost immediately, somewhat preoccupied, but said she was helping cat. How?
She didn't want him to get hurt again so she was showing him the way she can get into the other cats mind. Kinnie cat responded favourably and suceeded in driving grey fluffy away without physical force. He came in later and was sooooo pleased with himself! Mum said he had done really well.
Mum and Kinkie then took Fran on a hunting trip and caught what we thing was a large hare! She did have the decency to break the link at the point she pounced, much to Fran's relief, a mouthful of warm hare at midnight is not nice!! Then they invited Missie and Tufty to join them and the 4 of them had a picnic! She described it as a family bonding.

Sue, If she is friendly she might talk to you, if you just open your mind, think relaxing scenes etc and feel warmth towards her then in March you may get to have cubs (not personally I hasten to add)
As BB says any regular supply of food will be gratefully received, especially when it gets cold, ours like banana furs as well as dried fruit. Tonight they had tomato & mozarella kievs!! (Bought them in for dinner yesterday & didn't feel like eating) they did! Almost anything, dry cheese, left over pasta, jaket potatos, NOT cooked bones, they splinter & can kill foxes, or cats for that matter. I cut the outer parts of chicken or turkey wings off before cooking & put them out whole, along with the giblets, both raw. Also the skin, cooked or raw they're not fussy.
Water is important when it gets cold, ours drink quite a bit so even if there's no food they may come for a drink.
Good luck & happy watching!

Sue, please keep us posted of your progress with your foxes. It will be wonderful to have two families to keep track of. By the way Fran, this is still my favourite line.

Thanks for the advice, she came again tonight. I will certainly start to put more bits out for her. We did have cubs under our bedroom window one year making a right racket, I was fed up not being able to sleep but when I got up and saw them I just had to call John to look as well and it turned into an aaaahhhh scene of aren't they lovely at 4 o clock in the morning. Would be great to see them all back again. I haven't seen the dog fox this winter yet but he can't be far away.

Yesterday at the SW meet, we got to see the DVD of hte foxes and it was really quite moving...

Sue
You will definitely have to try to contact her & do what we have done & told her they must not bark at night, near the houses. We told Mum & although she sulked for a couple of days, I explained she was endangering her cubs, she hasn't barked, or let them bark in or near the gardens since. Peace at last!

Had a very tearful journey to the SW meet Saturday.
Missie woke up feeling odd, very quizzical, said her tummy felt funny & she didn't know why. Turns out hormones are changing, not on heat but fox equivalent of puberty I guess.
Then said she wanted cubs but realised if she did she would have to leave Mum & didn't want to, finally went through & cuddled up with Mum, woke her to tell her what was wrong & they were both so sad I was going along crying (just as well BB was driving)! Couldn't stop myself just their emotions coming through
Talked to Mum & said
F - You don't have to lose touch
Mum - That's what foxes do
F - You're special, not many talk to humans either
Mum - True
F - Things will change but you don't need to be in the same earth to stay in touch, you communicate telepathically most of the time.
Mum - We will compete for food
F - You catch rabbits, Missie catches Mice
Mum - Yes. What about when we have cubs?
F - We will provide enough food for you all in winter until enough natural food about.
Missie - Where would I live?
F - Nearby (discussed various locations)
Missie - What about shelter in your garden if we dig back & get rid of part of the wall?
F - No would be too close to food, Mum wouldn't get any.
Mum - True, not good idea, can build earth near me.
Both a bit happier, snuggled down together, feeling one of the last times probably

About an hour later Tufty came through, whats happening? Why were they upset. M & M explained, he snuggled down with them. Kinkie slept through it all. Mum was a bit concerned as to how he would react, never had Tufty so close before, he fell asleep on Missies feet but they all got too hot so Missie & Tufty went back to their own section.

Mum joined us briefly at the hotel in the evening to say all a lot happier & they think it might work out.
Our only concern is what happens if Missie comes on heat before they move out, how would Kinkie react?

On a lighter note Missie heard some Whale music in the car, whale noises on the CD & asked what it was, explained like the fish she had seen in the pond but the size of a tin box (car) or larger. Wouldn't fit in pond, would hang over the end, got lovely image of fish overhanging pond Explained in the sea, OK,
Went over river shortly after & asked if one would be in there NO. Oh!
She also sent me an incredible picture of an owl in flight, just like a photo of an owl silhouetted against the sky, with branches of a tree at one side. She saw it the night before & thought I would like it!

Fablux that is wonderful, mind you the thought of a dug out den at the end of your garden, well, I suppose it would depend how big the garden is. I would be ok here in my field I probably would not even notice it.
Love the thought of explaining the Whale
So wish I could have met you all, still I am sure there will be another time.

Shame you couldn't have been there. Next one will be June, so we'll try to organise it early to give everyone more notice.
No the garden isn't big enough for an earth, whatever they think! I like my garden with plants not muddy mounds!
BB says you can't have friends round in the summer in the garden & say shhhh don't wake the foxes!

Oh those poor foxes FAB, now they're going to be looking for whales at the bottom of the garden !!

She'll probably look warily into the pond before drinking from now on!! I'd love to get a giant inflatable whale to put in it!!

Been nipping through to see the foxes tonight and Kinkies wound has almost healed, really looking good.
Mum came down shortly after & I complimented her on it, she said it had tasted funny for a couple of days & nights, slightly sweet but a nasty sweet (YUK!) but she kept licking it & it was fine now.
She actually stood in the garden looking up to talk, which is unusual because before she had said she was too vulnerabe to let her guard down, unless she was in a truly safe place like an earth.
She says Missie & Tufty are starting an earth nearby. They started going out at the back of hers but hit roots so turned right & now hit something else solid, (not sure what).
They have now started outside but seem to be heading back towards the main earth, we did discuss a sort of secret tunnel for the 2 females the first day, so that they stayed in touch more, maybe that is on the agenda, who knows??
They are still living in their own area within the main earth at the moment, Missie isn't on heat yet, Phew!!

How has this cold snap affected them all?

We haven't had much contact lately, Missie is very busy digging her earth, with Tufty. The males have been coming down & taking bits of food, mostly treats etc back to their partners. Kinkie's wound is still healing but doesn't bother him.
We have upped the food obviously whilst it is so cold, day old chicks, bacon, fatty bread, an entire toffee cheesecake over 2 days!! Kinkie took some back to Mum Steak casserole (defrosted in error) as well as dog food, dried fruit & peanuts. Applying for bank loan next week!!
Have also seen a new cub a few times, but not sure whether it is just passing through, or where its living. Seems healthy.

Missie has just seen her first snow
M - What is it?? Is it safe?
F- Yes safe, like rain but soft.
M - No rain is wet this isn't. It sits on my coat, soft on my nose, just goes on my tongue!
F - It may get deeper.
M - Up my legs?
F - Yes.
M - Oh everyone's asleep
Well Tufty was asleep, rushed in & shook snow on him!!
He's come out to look, Ooooh!
M - Will food be out?
F - Yes tell us when you are coming down.
M - OK

Lovely Fran what a lovely description

Where the heck do you get day old chicks?

I sneak out in the middle of the night and raid the local chicken farm

No, seriously in chicken breeding most of the male chicks are culled at 1 day old (once gender is determined) as they are of no use for egg laying production
They are a rich source of food for small mammals in animal parks and for birds of prey. I have a work colleague who is also a falconer and he supplied us with a box of 200 ready frozen. He also has the occasional squirrel or rabbit for us.

Thank you Sue. She really was delighted with it. Didn't really believe me that it was a type of rain, it didn't melt on her coat at all. Shows how well insulated she is.
Insisted on talking as I was trying to go to sleep
Mum was pleased I had spoken to her and she reinforced what Barry had said about not leaving tracks leading directly to the earth. Mum said she should criss cross the path & was going to check! It was academic as it was all gone by the early hours though.
Sue how are your foxes doing? They will probably start mating soon. Get the ear plugs ready!!

Mine is still very shy, she wanders about looking for the food, sometimes she sees it and leaves it, then I think she comes back later when our light is out at bedtime as it's always gone in the morning.
I had my camera ready the other day but she was too quick for me, although the picture would probably not come out very well taken through patio door glass and at night. Still at least she is back

Update please Fablux before you go on holiday.