I guess Jare’s misadventures didn’t end with him chasing them all into the barn after all. He called to tell me the story before the day was over, but Tiki had one more surprise for him that evening. When he went into the grain room (where the cats live) for the last time, Tiki escaped, climbing up into the rafters of the barn.

Now, Jare couldn’t leave her up there. The barn is hardly a sealed building, there are all sorts of ways for an enterprising cat to get out (and be eaten by a coyote or owl). But he had long ago lost patience with the situation. So he hooked up the hose, climbed up onto the hay bales and had a conversation with Tiki.

“Tiki,” he said, “You have until I count to three to get down, or I will make you come down. You are not going to enjoy it.” She meowed piteously, just out of reach.

“One, two….” he began to count slowly. He was just about to unkink the hose when she meowed one more time, jumped down, and sat in front of the grain room door, ready to be let in.

Between you and me, I don’t think Jare is a cat person. 🙂