One of the cats

He is one of the cats... or she, but I think it's a he.

I am quite busy trying to prune the ivy that towers extremely high from the other side of the fence... and hangs annoyingly long on my side, almost touching the ground, trying to take over my livingspace.

It takes a bit of concentration. I need to put my foot well, too prevent an injury. And no leaf should drop, otherwise the ivy gets grip on my soil.
The sun is burning... my back aches.

Then there is something changed, the birds are silent.
They don't always call when a cat enters the area.
Sometimes they are just silent.
Maybe they know the cat was focussed on something else.

My back door.

He almost slides nearer and nearer to the door...

When I turn, he stops. Looks at me.
And I look at him. Surprised he is already that far in the garden....

His decision is clear: no threat, let's enter that house.

But I don't want him there, I am allergic to cats.

I step forward, but that might make him slip into the house even faster and more decisive.

So I clap my hands and make a strange sound.

The effect was as intended: he almost jumps and turns at the same time.
Runs off....

I follow him...

He escapes by taking a ssmall path near the gardenhousee and he wriggles himself through a small hole between fence and hedge...

The magpie laughs... He squeeks like saying: well done!

Then the other birds appear and start singing again....

.....

Image: Webadgood