DEAR SUN SPOTS: One of the many things that the volunteers at Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends do to help abandoned cats living in the wild is to build shelters to protect the kitties from the elements and provide a place to eat free from the danger of predators.

As we all know, Maine winters can be brutal and long, which makes these shelters even more important. Tommy’s has found through past experience that fir and blue spruce boughs provide the best insulation for these shelters, and they desperately need a supply of these as soon as possible to begin their winter preparations.

If you have any boughs, Tommy’s will be very happy to pick them up from you. Please contact either Norm Blais at 207-650-8374 or me at 207-576-6905 for pickup. Thank you very much. — Diane Fuller, Auburn

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Greater Androscoggin Humane Society is in desperate need of wood pellets (just like the ones you burn). They have found this to be a very clean cat litter.

They have just run out. If anyone can bring in some to tide them over until they can purchase their next supply that would be very helpful. Thanks so much. — Melanie via email

DEAR SUN SPOTS: First thank you so much for providing the information and resources you do.

I am writing because it is incorrect to characterize healthy foxes as cat hunters as some recent Sun Journal-reported comments have implied.

Foxes and cats frequent our well-lit yard at dusk and nighttime. I can attest that a fox is much more fearful of a cat than vice versa; the cat wins a showdown every time.

If this does not convince you, just google it! Thank you again. — No Name, Auburn

ANSWER: Sun Spots did as you suggested and via a google search found several references that indicate foxes occasionally do attack cats, primarily kittens or small cats if under food pressure. Normally foxes eat rodents, fruits and vegetables.

According to Wikipedia some red foxes can weigh up to 30 pounds. Gray foxes are smaller, more in the range you mentioned, up to about 12 to 15 pounds.

However, this does not mean we should all run out and shoot foxes. Foxes generally stay away from people and thus their pets, so unless you let your cat wander far and wide, it should be OK.

Or better yet, make your cat a housecat so it will not only be safe, but so will the songbirds that so frequently fall victim to cats.

Sun Spots only lets her cats out from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., when predators are least prevalent, and they wear “bibs” (catgoods.com). They are pieces of neoprene in colors easily visible to birds (blues and purples) and attach to the cat’s collar.

It takes a bit of effort to get the right collar-bib combination, but once that’s conquered, the birds are safe. Unfortunately, her boy cats still manage to catch an occasional chipmunk, but mortality is way down.

The cats quickly got used to them, and each morning line up to be “bibbed” before the cat flap is opened.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to Robert’s Aug. 31 query about a meeting at the fire station, there were actually two meetings regarding the lack of paving of South Main Street in Auburn.

The concerns began to arise when the residents were subjected to dust over the weekend of Aug. 24-25 with the unpaved road. 

The first meeting was held at Rolly’s in New Auburn and the second meeting at the New Auburn Fire Station at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 28.  

The meeting at Rolly’s was a chance for residents to ask questions of Assistant City Manager Howard Kroll. He listened and took notes.

The second was an information meeting with staff from the Maine and federal departments of transportation, the city inspector for the project and city staff.

Residents asked why the project had stopped and were told that materials were not of proper quality and testing had to be done. In the meantime a water truck comes up and down to keep the dust down. Conditions are supposed to improve and paving may begin in September. — No Name via email

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