Bird Watching on a Sunny Afternoon

Years ago I made the choice that my cats would live their lives as indoor cats. The statistics regarding the longevity (or lack thereof) for outdoor cats alarmed me. I love my cats and want them around for a long, long time.

Some people think my decision was a cruel one and that I am denying their true nature. Please. They are domestic cats, not wild pumas. They sleep on 800-count sheets, drink bottled water out of a fountain and eat human-grade specialty food that costs twice as much as the Starkist I'm having for lunch. I don't think anyone's being abused here.

However, I must admit to a twinge of guilt this time of year when the outdoors teems with the avian, reptilian and small mammal life forms that make feline hearts go pitter patter. My cats line up on the window ledge, their noses wistfully pressed to the glass like a litter of furry Little Match Girls.

As pitiful as this sight is, I don't let them out. It wouldn't be good for them. Probably wouldn't be great for the birds, squirrels and lizards either. However, I have hit on a happy compromise to keep them entertained.

I've erected bird feeders outside my den and bedroom windows. Maybe it's the high-dollar bird seed (everyone eats well at The House Where the Black Cat Lives), but I'm attracting some really fancy birds:

Cardinals, of course, which I love;

Mourning doves, which I don't love as much although I did enjoy watching one Ernie-sized dove beat the crap out of an overly aggressive blue jay the other day;

Little red, blue and yellow finches that look like they've been dipped in Easter egg dye;

Woodpeckers -- both the speckled, red-cockaded variety and one that has a completely red head. I've only seen that kind in pictures before. He (or she) comes every day so hopefully there is a nest nearby and I can look forward to more little red heads;

There's also a gorgeous little black and white bird with a red triangle, like a bandana, at its throat. I've been all over the Internet trying to find out what kind of bird it is with no luck. If anyone knows, please reply to this post. It's driving me crazy.

I have to admit to being hooked on these bird feeders the way some people are hooked on Wii.

And the cats like them, too.