Keeping Cats Out and Safe

Sarah Wilson's UK garden podcast, Roots and All, featured an episode on Cats in Gardens. She wrote, "This episode features Danielle Draper (@CatsProtection on Twitter) of Cats Protection. Cats are part of gardeners’ lives, particularly if you live in an urban area. Love them or hate them, you can’t get away from them and Danielle’s here to talk about learning to live harmoniously alongside the neighborhood feline. Whether you welcome cats into your garden or try to discourage them, Danielle offers great insights into cat behavior & gives tips on how cats and people can co-exist happily outdoors."

I listened to the show and it is specific to the UK, but I can attest that there is lots of useful and smart information on this program, including creating a dedicated litter area for outdoor visiting cats to keep them out of your planting beds.
You can listen at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/roots-and-all-gardening-podcast/id1399040612
or at 
https://rootsandall.co.uk/thepodcast/page/2/

A Real Winner

One of  the 21 winners in the Washington Gardener Magazine 15th Annual Photo Contest is the wonderful garden cat portrait shown here.

It won an Honorable Mention in the "Garden Creatures" category. It was taken by Karin Melinda Reber of Arlington, VA. USA, who titled it: “Green-Eyed Girl”

She wrote: “I just adore this cat. We call her Free Solo because she is the most agile climber I have ever seen, and is often atop even the slimmest of tree branches. I caught this sweet green-eyed girl in one of her rare moments of rest on the ground, basking in the cool foliage of my neighbors front garden.” Taken with a Google Pixel 4 XL ƒ/1.73 1/335 4.38 mm ISO52. Karin is an amateur photographer with 10 years’ experience. 

You can see this photo and the other winning images on display in a local photo exhibit from August 1–30, 2021, at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. Should COVID-19 protocols permit it, everyone is invited to join us at the Opening Reception, from 2–3:30pm on Sunday, August 1.

Kash is King

Who doesn't love shopping at a local independent garden center and finding a BONUS of a friendly feline resident who welcomes head scratches.

Megan Grimaldi of  Moore and Moore Garden Center in Nashville, TN, USA, shared these photos of Kash. She wrote, "Kash was found at the garden center as a kitten. The first few years of his life he mostly stayed in our offices -- away from customers. He has really come into his own over the last few years. Now 7 years old, he loves to show off and get pets from anyone he can. He is a bit of a ham and loves to race around the garden center."

You can follow them on social media at  "Moore and Moore Garden Center" on Facebook and @moore_moore_nashville on Instagram for future updates on the adventures of Kash.

Up a Tree

 
This uncredited, royalty-free photo on Pixabay.com caught my eye as it appears to be taken at a similar time of year as now. When the last of the berries are hanging on bare tree branches, before the ferment in late winter/early spring and the birds swoop in and strip them all. Then the tree's leaf out and the put on a flower show and the cycle repeats itself. This sweet cat appears to be a bit early in the season for his hunting adventures.