Opinion |

Newest addition at Mt. Hoo has big paws to fill

From the wilderness came a miracle, thanks to a stubborn wild turkey.

A friend was driving the backroads near Mesa Grande when a stubborn wild turkey would not move out of her way.

Stopping to let the plump bird strut away, she spotted something small dash behind her truck.

Getting out to look, she was surprised when a tiny kitten came dashing toward her.

And I mean tiny, at less than 10 ounces and about 3 weeks old.

She scooped the little fluff ball up, and headed home, calling my wife to see if we would like to adopt this wilderness survivor.

Just over two years ago we lost our 18-year-old Peackoe, an orange tabby who was the dedicated caretaker and watchman here at Mt. Hoo.

We had been debating if it was time for a new mascot.

Fate decided it was.

This little wilderness ball of fur with oversized blue eyes and a powerful will to live would melt any heart, and ours did. The next day, she was one her way here to her new home.

It’s been an amazing change.

I often pad around the house in socks. No big deal.

Now I must navigate an obstacle course that includes stuffed mice, squeaky balls and feather toys. And there’s always the sneak attack when our wild warrior pounces on feet and shoes.

We struggled with names, even reaching out on social media.

Names like Mesa, Wild, Miss Lucky, Kumeyaay, Shadow, Nocona, Cindy Loo Hoo and many others flooded in.

We decided to let her name evolve, and soon she became Mea. Maybe that big M on her forehead helped.

Over the years I have had many cats, but Mea is special.

Maybe it’s her rocky start to life, surviving abandonment in the wilds, but she is smart for such a tender age, bold, courageous, energetic and sure of herself.

The vet gave her a clean bill of health and she has quickly taken ownership of Mt. Hoo and training her staff, Kati and me, on how she must be treated.

Time will tell if she becomes the watch cat that Peackoe was.

Readers may recall how we struggled with putting him down. Age had robbed him of his youth, and it was time.

Peackoe was an indoor cat, but he was in tune with the wild creatures who often visited.

He would jump on my desk to look out the window, and I knew that was a signal that quail had arrived to drink from our little ground saucer.

He often spent summer nights at our bedroom screen door, watching the passings of coyotes, bobcats, opossums and raccoons.

Sometimes he sat at the sliding glass patio door almost face to beak with a roadrunner who seemed more curious than alarmed by this fuzzy observer. And following his instincts, he would sit motionless at my office widow and freeze as if ready to pounce on the hummingbirds buzzing at a nectar feeder just a few inches away.

We have trail cameras scattered all over Mt. Hoo and one night we saw a bobcat pausing at the screen door. Peackoe and the wild cat quietly stared at each other for a time as they sat motionless, only a few feet apart.

I’ve often wondered if they connected and there was some kind of understanding between this beautiful wild creature and our gentle house cat.

I had prepared a grave for Peackoe overlooking the canyon that surrounds Mt. Hoo and where many of his friends lived. There was also a trail camera nearby overlooking the gravesite and the pathways used by our wildlife neighbors.

As the sun was setting on a chilly December evening, we tearfully placed Peackoe in his resting place and said goodbye.

I tossed in his favorite ball, and we filled the hole and topped it with a mound of rocks as a simple monument to our faithful Watchman.

During the wee hours that night, a bobcat slipped from the chaparral and sat down next to Peackoe’s grave as if to say goodbye.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but I’d like to think there had been some connection, and the bobcat was paying his last respects.

Things were empty for a while without a cat in the house, but Mea seems to be filling that role nicely.

She has yet to meet the many beautiful creatures who share our mountaintop home, but she sure is taking charge.

Yes, we miss Peackoe every day, but things seem right again here on Mt. Hoo.

Mea has the watch.

Wren nesting update

As predicted, our house wren eggs began to hatch on May 4. Four hatched the first day and two the second day, but the seventh egg was cracked and apparently not viable.

Both parent birds are actively feeding the chicks. Their eyes are still closed and they are mostly helpless, all-mouth creatures with tufts of down on their heads. Very cute.

For daily updates, pictures and videos, check the “Updates from Mt. Hoo” Facebook page.

Cowan is a freelance columnist. Email ernie@packtrain.com or visit erniesoutdoors.blogspot.com.