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Yesterday morning the dogs struck a good trail about daylight. Wasn't long and they had the cat jumped and running. They ran about 15 minutes and sit down to treeing. I got to the tree and knocked the cat out. I have some young dogs in the pack I'm trying to get some running experience under their belt.



Dogs run him about 400 yards and sit down treeing again. Got there, knocked him out again. As I was standing under the second tree listening to the race. I happened to look back up on the opposite side of the tree and there was a kitten that would weigh about a pound. I thought darn, I hate to catch that sow with a kitten. About that time the dogs treed for the third time. As I got to that tree the cat ran across from one limb to another and I noticed that this was a tom cat. So in this case I kicked him out again. The dogs went on to catch him out of the fourth tree.

But....what was that tom cat doing treeing with a kitten on that second tree? Was he on the prowl doing his dirty work so he could bring the sow back in heat?

That's the first time in over 30 years of hunting that I treed a tom cat in the same tree with a kitten. Odd things do happen. Robbie

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Rob
I have never seen or heard of that before but if it is going to happen to anyone, should happen to you as you tree as more cats than anyone I know. You are also in a very high population area which should increase your odds.
Ran into Paul and Stacy Turney last weekend in Ruidoso. He said to tell everyone "Hey". How is the pup from Hap doing?
Adios,
Gary

Hey Gary,
The pup from Hap is doing good. She should be somewhere around 7 or 8 months old now. She's staying with the dogs now as their trailing & running. Starting to fight one on the ground. She saw that cat run across a limb in that tree yesterday morning and she really got excited and started treeing. I like what I have seen so far, but time will tell. Say howdy to all. Robbie














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Mr. Robbie,

Wow what an iteresting thing to have happen!

I bet that you are right assuming that the Ole Tom was up to NO good concerning the Kittens.

We seldom see Kitten tracks and even rarer to see a Kitten. Out in Western OK more are seen than anywhere else I know. Several years ago Dad and Hootie were running a Cat on a Creek, Rita treed. When Dad and Hootie looked up there were 6 Kittens of two different sizes up within 50 yards of where Rita had the Sow Treed.

Glad you got the Tom, another will move in to take his place...hopefully after the Kitten is big enough to take care of itself!

Been years ago I treed a Tom lion in the same tree with two cubs. They were all eating off the same deer kill. Andy

Robbie,

What a neat story. Witnessing incidents like that is very rare, but very educational. I fully believe you are 100% correct on your assumptions about the Tom out doing his dirty work. A mature Tom is one of the biggest kitten killers that lurks the woods. An old female cat will get so nervious that a Tom is trailing her that she will "sometimes" kill her own kittens by over handling (moving) them, thinking she is protecting them and putting them in a safe spot. Removing that Tom pobably saved the kittens.

Have a 3& 1/2 month old pup, that I have owned about 3 weeks. When I got him he was nice , slick & healthy looking. Not sure what feed he was eating, but as normal for me , starting feeding him Purnia Healthy morsels. Noticed he was losing some wieght, still slick & healthy looking. Seem he ate less & less & was always picking up rocks & sand with his mouth. Getting on him for that did not slow that down. Noticed him passing small rocks in his stool. When feeding the mature dogs Purnia Dog Chow he would try to eat that like he was on a mission. Thinking with time he would learn to eat the puppy chow did not happen. Put him on the dog chow with Missing Link Plus added to the Dog Chow. Haved noticed he no longer makes a b-line for the sand & gravel pile as soon as he is out of his kennel. TO start trying to eat sand & gravel. Seems like a intelligent pup loves to road to the creek and back several times with the mature dogs. Has become comfortable with the leash, riding four wheeler & being tied to the wheeler as I feed the mature dogs. Last couple days has even followed me back to his kennel & waited for me to feed him. Small things but in my opinion shows intelligents. Has anyone ever experienced any thing like this The pup came from John Fry who lives in Mcathur California. Thanks John & thanks to all for reading. Will add he is a nice looking walker pup.

I don't know much about that stuff Al but I would think the pup was having digestion problems with the feed. Some dogs just don't do good on certain feeds that the normal do. Alot of puppy foods have to much nutrition to them as well. After 3 months most recommend to go to adult food.

Hey Al, how ya doing? I sure haven't seen hounds of any age tare into little gravel and rocks like you are saying. But I was just thinking, had you ever piled animal carcasses from critters that you have skined there? Where and some of the grease, and fat may have melted down into the gravel from the sun. If so maybe the rancid smell of the grease or fat may have made him real interested. Worse yet, has anybody ever dumped, or had water from a car radiator or some kind of equipment with antifreeze in it leak in that particular spot. Most animals cannot resist the smell of antifreeze. And will readily drink it, if ingested it is also fatal. That's the only thing that I could come up with. Good luck with the pup, and Have a good Father's Day. Take care, Willy

Wille,
Your comment above made me think of something. Here in south Texas, roading the dogs past a deer blind, which is usually on a cross road. I don't know how many times I have seen the hounds eat the dirt where a deer has been shot and dropped right in the road and left a bloody spot in the dirt. Right after deer season you will be able to see the dark spot in the dirt where the deer bled out and the dogs eating the dirt there but I remember them spots and 6 or 8 months later after rain, time, and all weather elements the dogs will still eat the dirt in them same spots. With no visual evidence at all of blood in them spots.

So...your comment above might very likely be true, if Al's pup is going back to the same spot and eating the rocks and dirt.

Robbie

Hey Al, I didnt think of this the other day. But I had a pup once that did as you described, it seem sickly also so it went in to the vet. Turns out it had a bone stuck in its gut. Hope this helps. John.