DEAR JOAN: Lately, we found a pile of poop close to the highest of a bush in our yard.
I'm at a loss making an attempt to determine how an animal leaves its poop there. Whereas it appears lush, this bush wouldn't help an animal strolling on it.
We've a lady within the neighborhood who feeds feral cats and they're making a multitude of everybody’s yard however hers. I've three or 4 deposits to scrub up each morning.
This poop appears like cat poop, however I simply can’t get how they go away it on the bush.
Chuck and Sherry Glover, Fremont
DEAR CHUCK AND SHERRY: Your query sparked a full of life dialogue on a Fb group that I belong to referred to as Animals Don’t Cowl Their Tracks. Whereas we didn’t provide you with a definitive reply, there are a number of theories on the animal accountable for the bizarre deposit.
My first thought was that it was left by a fox, and a few folks agreed with me. Foxes apply what is called precision defecation, that means they intentionally place their scat for causes greatest recognized to them.
Nonetheless, one of many consultants stated that the scat bore the hallmarks of feline excrement, not canine. Nonetheless, pooping on high of bushes shouldn't be regular conduct for both, not even for a really tall cat.
That led to the most well-liked principle — that it’s feline in nature, however that it was positioned or flung there by a human. Why anybody would wish to try this, I don't know. Maybe it was unintentional, and the results of poor intention. I may see a neighbor, pissed off by all of the cat poo within the yard, scooping and flinging it, not that means to toss it onto your shrubs, however simply to get it out of their yard.
As for the issue with the feral cats within the neighborhood, cats usually don’t poop the place they eat, which is why they aren’t befouling the yard of the individual feeding them. You could possibly take part on the feeding, which can in all probability get you extra troubles than cat poop, or you'll be able to set out a pot or plant a small patch of catnip within the nook of your yard. The cats aren’t more likely to poo close to their catnip supply, both.
I’d additionally recommend investing in a cheap wildlife digital camera so you'll be able to see what goes on in your yard at evening. You could be shocked.
DEAR JOAN: One vital function that squirrels play within the lifetime of an oak tree is seed dispersal. Oaks simply drop their seeds straight down. They're too heavy for wind dispersal.
I've two very industrious squirrels whom I watch “planting” acorns from neighboring timber in my yard. And annually I discover 5 to 10 younger oak seedlings in my yard — in vegetable beds, below shrubs, and in flower pots — from their exercise. Squirrels are superb gardeners.
Sam, Oakland
DEAR SAM: Certainly they're. I’ve all the time been fascinated by the plant-animal relationship.
My very own expertise with gardening squirrels entails corn. I put out some cobs for them and one squirrel made fast work of them. That spring, I found the place most of that corn went as each planter I owned started sprouting stalks of corn.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Have a query for Joan?
Use this kind to submit questions. Pictures needs to be mailed individually to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.