Our house in the country seems to attract cats.

[TexasProgresive]

They are not feral and so far always male. They come to our deck to eat and get pets. We take them to our vet for a check up and to be neutered. 6 months ago we had 3 boys living peacefully outside and one semi-feral girl inside. And then this beautiful blue gray tabby showed up. 2 of our normally peace boys who are always grooming one another got aggressive with each other.

So I loaded the silver pretty boy in a carrier and took him to see the vet. When he came home we decided to keep him in the house. He has been a real sweetheart.

Last week I was sitting at the table and he was playing with something next to me. It was a scorpion and it was stunned or dead. I stepped on it for good measure and threw it in the trash. This morning he was batting something around and guess what? another dead or stunned scorpion. He's a keeper.

Sidebar:

Striped Bark Scorpion
The striped bark scorpion is by far the most common scorpion in Texas and the most likely to be encountered by humans. It has two broad, black stripes running the length of its back. Populations in the Big Bend may be only faintly marked or completely pale. The basic color of the scorpion varies from yellow to tan in adults. Immature scorpions may be lighter in color. There is a dark triangular mark on the front of the head above the eyes. In young scorpions, the base of the pedipalps and the last segment
behind the abdomen are dark brown or black. This species can be easily identified by slender pedipalps (pincer-bearing arms) and the long, slender tail. The tail is longer on males than females.

The striped bark scorpion apparently mates in the fall, spring or early summer. Gestation requires about 8 months. Litter size varies from 13 to 47. The average is about 31 young per litter. Immature scorpions molt within 3 to 7 days after birth and remain on the mother for another 3 to 7 days after that. There are five or six molts to maturity. A striped bark scorpion probably
lives for approximately 4 years.

The sting of this species causes local pain and swelling. Deaths attributed to this species have not been substantiated.
The striped bark scorpion is often found under rocks, under boards and in debris. It can be found indoors or outdoors in a wide variety of habitats (pine forests in East Texas; rocky slopes, grasslands and juniper breaks in other parts of the state). Centruroides are active foragers that do not burrow. They are distinctly associated with dead vegetation, fallen logs and human
dwellings. It is common for them to climb trees and walls, and they often are found in the attics of homes. During periods of hot weather, scorpions may move into living areas to escape the high temperatures in attics.

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[raccoon]

1. Lucky you! nt

[Bayard]

2. Yowza!

When I lived in CA, we would occasionally get little scorpions. My cats generally dispatched them. It was like when we would get a mouse inside, or a little snake slithering under the screen door on the porch---do you know five bored cats live here?

Since moving back to KY, and our little farm, I have somehow accumulated 20 more cats than the one ones I brought from CA. I think they're following the food, or people just drop them off. Right now, everybody is spayed/neutered, vaccs. I only have 3 in the house. The outdoor guys frequently bring me gifts of voles, and the occasional mole. I had to laugh the other day at the vole and a half left at the feed room door. It was like--we brought you these, sorry had to eat half of the little one. But its still enough for a good breakfast, right?

[TexasProgresive]

3. My Mom (rip) grew up in a per-revolutionary house in Frederick, MD.

She told me that often there would be presents left on her bed near her face by her cat. They are so sweet!

[crazycatlady]

4. You say that like it is a bad thing

I want cats to come to me. I even have a few nip plants on the back deck.