The Volunteer Add On

 Chaos, the volunteer add on to the cat yard colony, is still out there, enjoying the amenities of the converted barbecue cover.  That's the structure I found cheap, as a cloth covered metal frame for a barbecue in the rain, that is now converted to a cat yard fully enclosed cat house.

That's his favorite haunt and he may have been secreting himself out there for some time, when I think of when Jack's behavior changed.   Jack is my dominant but very sweet (can be an asshole) boy.

Yesterday I tried to net Chaos in the cat yard after closing off the runs and cat door to anywhere else.  He was too quick for me but tired fast and began panting, so I had to give him a break and me too and give up, open the cat runs back up, to prevent my own cats from loud protesting.

I couldn't find him after I gave up, when I went out, after a long nap, to look for him, then open the cat runs back up.  I thought maybe he found a way out.  I had been determined to cut an exit door in the cat yard, so he could escape, but that could be securely closed again.  There's no way out of the cat yard.  There once was a gate out, but it was poorly made and failed and I had to remove it.

Netting in such a convoluted obstacle course laden area like the cat yard makes me prone to injury and actually requires two people:  one to stand in wait, the other to benignly herd.  I don't have anyone to help.

Many people are unsuited to helping net cats by their natures.  I used to try to find and contain cats that escaped whatever their caretaker brought them in, which ranged from cardboard boxes to bird cages, when coming to mobile FCCO clinics.   It was unbelievable what containers caregivers thought would work to contain a terrified cat.  This was before the time when traps became plentiful, common and cheap.  Many people cannot help themselves and chase loose cats.   The cowboy types who want to chase and grab, the yabber box types who never stop talking, none of those sorts are suitable as helpers in netting.   It's crazy to think now how we used to trap entire colonies with one trap, transferring from that trap to a carrier, so we could use the trap again, when people now complain, if I loan them a trap, that's it not a transfer trap with a backdoor.  I think 'what wimps'!

I think of his joining the crew as something like the story of the 81 soldiers who returned to Lichtenstein when 80 actually had been sent out to guard a mountain pass.   The 80 soldiers had spent their time drinking wine, dancing and enjoying the scenery.  The 81st soldier was quite probably a soldier from one side or the other, who liked their attitudes, I guess.  Here's the story from Ai.

AI Overview

In 1866, during the Austro-Prussian War, Liechtenstein sent 80 soldiers to guard a mountain pass. They saw no combat, and when they returned, 81 men came back

. The extra person was reportedly a new friend, likely an Austrian liaison officer or an Italian soldier who joined them, resulting in zero casualties and a higher headcount. 

Key Facts About the Incident:

• Context: The incident occurred during the Seven Weeks' War in 1866, where Liechtenstein supported Austria.
• The Mission: The 80 soldiers were tasked with guarding the Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy, but they did not fight in any battles.
• The 81st Man:
   Multiple accounts suggest a friendly Austrian officer or an Italian soldier joined them, or perhaps a local they befriended, as they didn't suffer any losses.
Aftermath: Due to the high cost and the insignificance of their military, Liechtenstein dissolved its army in 1868. 

The story is a famous anecdote highlighting a unique, peaceful episode in military history.