Nice Kitty!

So here at work we are definitely use to seeing deer. They are always grazing out on the side hills near our building and often make you stop as they cross in front of your car as you attempt to exit the parking lot. Nothing new there, because I see deer all the time home and work. I love nature. I feed squirrels, deer, raccoons, birds and you name it. Animals and I get along well for the most part. So tonight on lunch break with a co-worker as we were driving out she and I had the same thought. We hadn't seen each other to tell each other, but we both had a story of another animal we saw lurking around the building where we work. Last week as I was leaving around midnight and I went around the corner I saw a skunk in the road. Not a dead one, a live one. I stopped and let it get off the road and into the woods before I started back on my journey home. Lord knows I don't want to hit it and have that scent in my car. Well, it seems earlier this week as my co-worker was leaving she was starting for her car and saw the little fellow walking next to her car. As you can understand she said she froze and just watched it. She waited for it to walk past her car and off into the woodland. Good choice. I also have a skunk that comes out in my yard periodically. Other than in a zoo or squashed on the highway I have never seen a skunk around here so I am wondering why all of a sudden they seem to be multiplying in numbers. Either way I will let it live in peace if it lets me live in peace. I then thought I might as well look up some information on the little critters. They can be domesticated to live in the house as pets. OK, I'm thinking no on that one, but it says they can and they can have the scent glands removed. Apparently they can make nice pets. I would love to see the look on someones face if you didn't tell them the first time they are in your house and see a skunk. Then there is the fact that they love to eat Bee's! Yep, probably why they started loving my house and yard. Remember my bee drama last year? They will also eat nuts, berries, rodents, snakes, lizards and moles along with probably about anything else that isn't nailed down per the WEB. Good news is it says they are hesitant to spray because they only carry five to six sprays in their glands and once those are used it takes them about ten days to replace it for use again. Bad news, they are excellent fighters and have very sharp teeth and claws. Don't go running out and grabbing one to test it's ability to spray or fight. Neither sounds like a good option to me. They do have periods of hibernation, but don't sleep the entire winter. They adapt their food to the season and can live on practically anything. They are not related to cats, contrary to popular believe, however their young are called kits and they do have five to six in a litter. Hey guys! Ever wonder why you might be called a low down skunk by some female? Well, these guys give you your reputation seeing as how the male skunk will often mate with up to twelve females in a summer or more. Not to mention that when they hibernate they will often have multiple females and only one male in the nest. Gives a whole new light on it doesn't it? The male skunk also plays no part in raising the kids. Hum... Anyway, I don't actually have pictures of any of the skunks I've seen because I'm not brave or stupid enough to want to go chasing them down for a picture. If you ever do get "skunked" per my dad tomato juice is the only thing bringing that scent off of you. Good luck. I suggest you just avoid them. My little yard skunk will be staying though. I am not about to go out and ask him to move.