Good vs. Evil at Chez Ragged

There is a battle between good and evil being waged at Chez Ragged. It's an age old tale of the white hat wearing cowboy being challenged by the black hat wearing villain on his own turf. Who can out run, out shoot and out wit has yet to be seen, but steer clear. Keep your women and children off the streets. This could get ugly.

It seems that Ike, a sweet white cat adored by all, challenged previously by none, has a nemesis. We shall call this foe Gray. (Note that this is not that original as the cat is well. . . gray.)

Gray began appearing on our front porch over the weekend. However, I had noticed that he'd been staking out the place for several days prior, taking notes, getting the lay of the land, if you will. It didn't take him long to realize that our neutered and declawed cats were no match for this rough character.

You see Gray is an alley cat, making his way the only way he knows how and that's just a little bit more than the law will allow. He's got notches in his ears the way some put notches in their belt. (I don't know if it's from fights or the "women" he has known, but I am not asking. That seems much to personal.) He doesn't bother grooming, that adds to his mystique: matted hair, a scruffy tale and an odd odor. If Gray were a person, he'd be one of those guys in the back of a bar, with a cigarette burning continually, beer stationed in front of him, calling waitresses "honey" as they served him. He's one tough kitty.

Ike, on the other hand, was relieved of his manhood many, many years ago. He also gave up his claws in the interest of our furniture and our other cats (leave me alone, it was a very, very tough decision). While Gray is out killing field mice and rodents and roasting them over a camp fire to fill his belly, Ike is sauntering over to a full food bowl and chowing down. While Gray is hovering beneath a recently parked car for warmth, Ike's mother is tucking him into bed with her, making sure he has enough room to pad his feet and purr himself to sleep. Gray gets his water out of puddles and Ike enjoys fresh water several times daily in a clean, clear bowl.

So, now the two meet. Good meets evil. Wrong meets right.

It's a daily face-off as Ike sits by the living room window and Gray stations himself on the porch ledge only feet away. He's a smooth operator, this Gray. His simple presence sends Ike into fits. Ike uses everything he has to intimidate the intruder: wails, hisses, spitting and crying. None of these have worked to his advantage. Gray just sits and waits until finally Ike's owners have had enough and go outside to run him off.

Last night as we slumbered peacefully, we heard a noise that can only be described as an animal in pain. It was truly awful. Cynical rushed downstairs to rescue whomever may be in despair to find Ike stationed at the window wailing at the intruder. Gray sat quietly glaring into the house.

Ike had managed to alarm all of his fellow cats and everyone was apparently in on the action, ready and alert. I would like to say that they had his back, but I suspect it was every man or kitty, as it may be, for himself. No one would back down, so Cynical (not exactly shall we say "dressed" for the occassion) asked Gray to leave. (By asking I mean he yelped, "Get out of here. Get out of here.")

Finally everyone decided to stand off and we all made it back to bed for a few more hours of sleep. Ike, however, kept watch while the rest of us slumbered, protecting the homestead from the Outlaw Gray.

I am not sure how this saga will play out, but I fear that a window still separates these two foes and hopefully no one will cross the line drawn in the dirt (or the mulch in the flower bed below said window). I doubt that, in this case, good could triumph over evil.

Another shot from last week's hiking. A bridge over troubled waters, if you may.