Did we have another cat move into the neighborhood?

United States
June 8, 2018 10:42am CST
I was outside doing some yard work when I heard a "mew". I checked to see if Petey and Jonesy were okay, and they were both napping from their breakfasts. Hapro and Spot weren't anywhere around, and they usually stay in their own territory, so who was sounding like a cat? I finished scouring the area for a possible stray kitten, the meowing wasn't that you would hear from a full grown cat, so I was kind of worried about having a kitten loose in the country-especially where I live. It would be a nice snack for one of our predatory creatures. I finally tracked down the source of the "mewing". I was rather surprised to say the least. Standing on the road just above my home was a....three month old fawn! It mewed for me again and stood there and looked hopeful. So I went into the house and got a loaf of my "deer" bread. (It's deer bread because I pick it up at Wal Mart for under a buck a loaf. The other breads are selling for between $2 & $3 a loaf.) I slowly walked up the hill to where the fawn and its mother were waiting. I barely got the bag open when MaMa was nudging me for her piece, and soon the fawn was nagging me too. I stood in the driveway for about 10 minutes hand feeding the doe and fawn the bread I had bought for that purpose. They were happily munching away and if I didn't get a piece out of the bag quick enough I would get nudged by the hungry pair. Of course they were rather healthy looking, after all there are enough people who live in the community that the deer get plenty of food. One neighbor that I never expected to be so kind hearted was telling us about the hole he made in the screen in his office so he could feed the deer through that hole when he was working. Another neighbor feeds the deer corn that she buys at the local feed store. Since we don't have fresh green grass for them to munch, we all pitch in and provide them with the necessary food to keep them happy and well fed. Now, when the fawn is hungry it comes to the door and will mew like a kitten to get me to come out and feed it. Many times it's MaMa that puts the fawn up to coming to the door and begging...I'll come out with the bread and Mom will be at the top of the driveway waiting for the fawn and me to come up and provide their snack. But the biggest thing is I had never heard a sound from the local deer until the fawn started mewing at me for food...it's kind of strange to hear something like that come out of a creature that is at least ten times the size of a normal house cat!
4 people like this
4 responses
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
8 Jun 18
That is an exceptional experience! No need for you to go to a zoo!
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Jun 18
That's so true, I live in the middle of a massive zoo! We've had raccoons come at night for their hand outs, squirrels come by all hours to check to see if there is anything available to munch on. Then there are the bunnies that have started coming by for their fair share of chow. Of course there is also the birds that swoop down for left overs....it's like having my own personal zoo living around me. It brightens the day each time I go outside and there is a critter waiting for a handout!
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
8 Jun 18
@BearArtistLady We have crows and magpies coming to our balcony where they find dog food pellets and sometimes a bone with some meat on it. My husband's desk is in front of the window. He loves the spectacle when they come.
• United States
9 Jun 18
@MALUSE They're so much fun to watch! We have crows and magpies too, and the magpies are real clowns! My Mom and I would sit outside with our morning coffee and have some wonderful laughs at the antics of the magpies. One morning there was a piece of string on the patio and a magpie landed close by it. Of course the magpie was more interested in the food and wasn't paying attention to what was going on around it, but suddenly the string moved and the magpie jumped about two feet straight up. Then it proceeded to peck at the string like it was a lizard of something like that. We had a great laugh and a great time watching the poor bird get even with the "enemy" that disturbed its breakfast.
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
8 Jun 18
How wonderful that they trust you enough to go right up to them. I would love an experience like this.
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
10 Jun 18
@BearArtistLady I see she is training you well. I would love it.
• United States
10 Jun 18
@HazySue You are so right!!! I'm sitting here this morning waiting for her to call for her breakfast. She should be here soon, and I keep checking the window to see if she has arrived. Of course if one of the weekenders has their dog outside she might not show up this morning. I have a whole bunch of goodies stashed for her.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Jun 18
It is such a great experience. Yesterday morning the doe was at the head of the driveway looking at me expectantly..."Where is MY bread?" I ended up dropping what I was doing to go get a loaf of bread and feeding her.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jun 18
How wonderful that you are able to feed the doe and her fawn. I would be over the moon if I were you. Our kangaroos rarely make a noise either but sometimes they give a sort of cough.
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jun 18
@BearArtistLady That's good that 'your' deer aren't in any danger from hunters. I'd be more worried about her getting so brave as to become a bit threatening if you don't have any feed for her.
• United States
9 Jun 18
I have one doe that is becoming more and more friendly. It won't be long and I'm sure I'll be able to pet her. I don't like getting that friendly because of the possibility of hunters, but the area I live in is protected so there is NO hunting allowed.
1 person likes this
@Peach10 (1920)
9 Jun 18
So that's how they sound like a kitten. Nice of you to share your bread