Mr. Toad comes home

This is a strange story about a toad who wants to live in a cat pen.   A few weeks ago we discovered this fine fellow sitting on a cat bed in the kitten cabin.   The cats and kittens didn’t mind and he seemed to like being there.   The next day he was in their water bowl and, as it wasn’t a particularly toad friendly environment in there, being dry and cosy instead of damp and earthy, we decided to find him somewhere more suitable to live.  Damp earth burrows and watery mud are what toads usually like.

We moved him to a small pond behind the kennels.   He looked a bit uncertain to start with and then he swam off.  A week later and he was back and sitting in the water bowl again.   He’d travelled quite a distance, along the drive, across the yard, down the steps and through the wire side of the pen.   Was it the same toad?   Yes, we’re sure of it.   We left him for a while and then moved him back.   We were worried about accidentally treading on him in the cabin ……. surely toads are better off around water?

We didn’t see him for a week and then this morning he was back, in the grass among the kittens and looking very pleased with himself.    A homing toad?   He’s made his mind up where he’s going to spend the winter and we can’t persuade him differently.   This time we’ve made him a toad house in the kitten garden area adjacent, he has damp earth, plant pots and a log pile shelter.   A litter tray full of water is on hand to make him feel at home.  There’s a plentiful supply of worms, slugs and insects – some crickets too for a treat.   The kittens are peeking in at him but so far he isn’t venturing out.   Why is he so set on living in the kitten cabin?   How did he manage to make it back from the other side of the sanctuary?   A small creature but with such a determined nature.  We’ll watch out for him and as soon as we can, we’ll build him a little kitten cabin pond.   It’s o.k. Mr.Toad, you can stay this time.