Feral cats

We have been dealing with a grey and white stray that's been hanging around our house.  Every time it makes an appearance, our cats go crazy.  As a result, the window screens on each side of the bay window have been shredded, there are large holes in both of them.  Since it's air conditioner weather, we haven't bothered to replace them but they're on my husband's list.  We have been operating on the assumption that the stray cat jumped on the screen and tore it up - my husband actually saw it hanging from the screen once.  So, we have some new evidence today.

Sadie was in the window intent on watching something outside this morning.  Squirrel, chipmunk, bird?  Nope, it was a buff and tan scraggly cat with two grey and white kittens.  The kittens looked over two months old and were playing in the flower bed along our sidewalk while she took a nap under the maple tree.  Our cats watched but were quiet.  I felt sorry for her, she's very thin while the kittens look really healthy so I'm guessing her health has suffered for them.  I opened a large can of Sadie's stinky food and took it outside.  She ran to the edge of the yard but watched me put down the food.  I can't see the food from inside the house so I don't know if she ate or not.

About an hour later the grey and white cat (we know now is a male - I've seen his off spring) showed up in the yard and Sadie went absolutely hysterical.  If she could have gone through the window after this cat, she would have.  She was screeching and clawing the window - scared me.  It's more than possible that Sadie ruined the screen and makes me determined to try to trap the cats.  We'll never have any peace until we do.  One the up side, Sadie and Sassy sat side by side, almost touching, to watch the female and two kittens in the front yard.  No aggression at all.  After the male left the yard, though, I could not calm Sadie down.  You take your life in your hands trying to touch Sadie when she's in that state, she could rip your arm off.  I still have scabs from the last time I tried.  Sassy meanwhile, just watched.

I've had an old afghan in the bay window for Sadie to lay on but today ordered a real, fluffy bed for her.  She actually likes our feather filled duvet in the bedroom, she sleeps on it as often as we let her in the bedroom.  Sassy hates our bed, so I'm sure she won't be interested in using it but I bought the big one in the hopes that someday they will be friendly enough to sleep together.  And if they don't, Sadie has a king-sized bed all for herself.