Recently, this Red Squirrel has been taking its meals very near one or another of our sliding glass doors. There is mounting evidence that the Squirrel’s intent is to drive our house-bound cat insane.
To some, Red Squirrels are furry-tailed rats and a nuisance that should be exterminated. Others love them, think they’re cute, and allow them to invade the bird feeder. Red Squirrels also experience a different kind of love – by owls and hawks; coyotes, dogs, and martins; bobcats and feral cats, as well as the occasional large snake.
Only about 22 percent of these small Squirrels survive their first year, during which they must establish and defend a territory and build an underground food storage midden before winter sets in. (Brooklin, Maine)