Residents, Neighbours, Locals ( - what is community?)

My garden and driveway in UK were plagued by feline intruders, but only 2 or 3 of them and it didn't take long to establish the 'IT'S MINE, GO AWAY' rule.  It helped that the backyard had a very high fence all the way round.  It didn't help that there was a cat door in the fence between the driveway and the garden, but it was built for me so I guess I shouldn't complain.

Here the feline intruders can be identified as 

1. those that get fed at Effie's Feline Soup Kitchen in the carpark area underneath the building (residents).  F has given them all names so she can identify them when discussing them,

2. those that pass through from time to time or hang out within view of either balcony.  Some of these have names (neighbours), and

3. those we pass coming and going on our walks out (locals)

I have given them names too but they can't be printed in your alphabet. I spend quite a bit of time shouting at them to go away, but they run along the different levels in the retaining wall at the back like it's a motorway between other places to be.

Of the residents Mr B named the oldest scruffiest one Bagpuss.  He comes and goes.  He always looks well cared for when he turns up, and quickly descends into a state of filthy hobo again.

Mrs Calico was the first I actually encountered - me inside the lift lobby and her outside the glass at the front door.  She raised her paw and wiped the glass at me.  I've seen F stroking her fur, and she seems to be a special favourite of Effy.

Left-handed Cat - so called because he used to grab food pieces off F with his left paw, and because it is easier to say than Left-Sleeved-Jumper Cat (obviously his pullover only has a left sleeve).  What she perhaps doesn't know is we are all left-handed.  I suspect her of taking a special shine to that cat.  His jumper has stripes a bit like mine, but his underwear shows.

Someone put a cat scratching post in the garden

There are more cats with stripy jumpers and their underwear on display: Greedy Cat, Wee Bro Cat, and a few that have remained nameless because they simply cruise past on their motorway.

Wee Bro Cat and Little Miss Calico are siblings and were kittens last year.  Their black and white Mummy Cat was a resident last summer but disappeared after she weaned her offspring.  We saw her back briefly last week - heavily pregnant again...

Named neighbours are few - Curious Black being the main one.  It earned its name by sitting in the garden while F weeds, keeping a 4 or 5 foot distance but moving as F moves and watching the weeding.  The day we got home from our last road trip  it tried to inspect the inside of my van as my humans were unloading all the stuff they carry around. It's black in case you hadn't guessed from the name. 

The only other neighbour with  a name is The Worried Cat who looks, well, worried.  However, there are many, white, black, striped, blotched, dinner-suited, orange, calicoed, brindled and grey tabby (Tiggerish) cats that we recognize.

More distantly, in the surrounding neighbourhood are hoards (seriously, hoards) more of the same.  We recognize loads of these too, always see them in more or less the same places, associated with more or less the same other cats.

Humans believe cats are loners, and don't like other cats. And while it is true that (lions excepted) cats aren't know to hunt in groups or co-operate for mutual benefits or for the benefit of a wider group/community, cats do have community of sorts and that is not entirely due to behaviour modification based on the availability of human provided food.  Cat's live in colonies usually with some familial connections (like a tribe in primitive human terms).  Colonies stick to their areas.  

Humans are described as social animals.  My bees were highly social creatures too. How far does your community extend? How many of your neighbours do you know the names of? Interact with? Help out or work together with for the benefit of yourselves or others in your neighbourhood or locale?  Does that make you a community?

Me...contemplating....