The mice were running off with too much goat food, leaving too many nests, and otherwise terrorizing us … flashing throughout the day and night. Brazen little hussies. Chewing parade halters and scaring the barn help is not nice! They had to go!

Mr. Dillon came from a friend’s home who had just had their first grand baby and the cats were too much. Hey, I understand just ‘too much.’ I was happy to have him. Thank you.

His name is Mr. Dillon ’cause he’s in charge of protecting all the food supplies in the big goat barn. We figured since he was marshaling the area, he needed an appropriate name. Mr. Dillon stayed in the barn for about a month, never leaving it and always greeting us at his food bowl. He was getting fat and the mice became scarce. Perfect!

Anyway, Mr. Dillon looked kinda lonely making his barn rounds by himself so I was on the lookout for a companion. Mother’s apartment complex, for some reason, always had stray cats roaming around so I started looking their first.

Within the first week, the cutest kitten just walked right into my arms. Keeping within the theme of Dodge City, Mr. Dillon’s new companion would be named either Festus or Ms. Kitty. Didn’t know; didn’t care. Mr. Dillon needed a companion.

Ms. Kitty is home from the vet stay (being spayed, of course). Now I had to contain her for 10 days so her stitches would heal. Terrific. Now the winter weather was settling in and the barn would be too cold for cats. (The goats would be fine in these temps but the cats would be too cold.)

Did I mention that we have two basement cats?