Tane (the disabled kunekune boar) has a cat. Her name is LuLu. All the farm cats are ginger cats and LuLu is the oldest ginger cat. And LuLu loves Tane.
You know how cats rub their bodies against your legs and ankles – particularly when you are cooking dinner – well LuLu does this with her pig.
She moves round and round him firmly brushing her little body right along his long one.
They have been going through this routine just before bedtime and around about milking time for years though she is a shy cat and you have to be tricky to get her on camera.
He is a pig though so he studiously ignores her. And she is a cat so she carries an alloofness to the relationship but I bet if I were close (and she seldom lets people close – she is a pigs cat after all) – I would hear her pur.
I have seen LuLu sleep close to Tane in the nights too but not for warmth she looks like she is guarding him, watching over him while he sleeps. Often curled up on a bale just above him.
This weekend the cold nights arrive so I bet she will be sleeping a little closer to her pig. But today is again in the high 60’s with a sprinkle of rain forecast.
My fences are all finished at last. At least the infrastructure is in place in case the ground freezes solid before I need them. Now I can put the strings up at my leisure. Difficult (Holstein heifer) was sold yesterday so now I am down to ten cows, two mature cows and the rest young or small. We pick up a last load of hay on Sunday.
Today I put Molly (Hereford sow) in with Manu (Hereford boar).
The really exciting news is that today Jake (my long time farming partner and friend) signs and officially takes over the new premises in Pontiac, Illinois, that he will open as a farm to table restaurant this spring. We have partenered up on different projects for a few years now (in the summer he buys my eggs and vegetables for his CSA) and now it will be my farm on his table! Growing specifically for a restaurant brings my wee farm a sense of maturity and purpose and if all goes well – security. This plan has been a long time coming up and is the reson why I have been slowly expanding, so I am ready.
I will keep you up to date as we get ready to open.
The restaurant will be called The Seasonal Plate. It will intially be open for lunches and features locally sourced, seasonal, fresh food.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
58 responses to “A Pig’s Cat”
I love this! A cat and her pig, so sweet! 🙂
That news about the restaurant is SO exciting!! Go Farmy! Am akways touched and intrigued by the cross species friendships and alliances that form. x
Sweet LuLu and Tane!
Sending good wishes for great success for The Seasonal Plate.
Yes, best wishes for a wonderful start to the restaurant. And of course Tane has his own cat! I love it.
The Pork that he is going serve there will be the best, good luck to the pair of you. Laura
Such exciting news! We will make a point of visiting The Seasonal Plate on a future visit to Illinois.
I think every pig should have a cat or a dog. They are so cute together. And the progression of your farm to table is brilliant. Wishing you every success and expansion.
Congratulations to you and Jake for much success! Also, one of the best stories from the farmy today Miss C, Tane and Lulu make a wonderful pair 🙂
Maybe Lulu likes the texture of Tane’s coat? Regardless, it’s very sweet.
I wish Jake lots of luck with the restaurant – I hope proves to be good for the farmy 🙂
Congratulations on getting ready to open The Seasonal Plate!!! What a sweet story of the pig and her cat. May just be her guardian cat 🙂 Jen
A most delightful story.
[J+D] We have Thomas, neutered male cat, that goes to the henhouse and curls up in a nesting box, sometimes (in the bigger communal box) sharing with hens! His best friend, though, is Tilly – our black labrador. BTW – note (in your photos) the lean of the tail towards the subject of affection! The new project: We’re excited for you – and look forward to learning more!! ;~)
Just back from time in Kenya and London and what a lovely post to come back to C! Wonderful!
Have a beautiful weekend.
🙂 Mandy xo
Tane and Lulu are so cute together, I am glad they will have each other for the cold winter. The new restaurant sounds like it will be a lovely and healthy place to visit for lunch. I do wish you both well on that adventure. Have a great day!
Considering the state of my room some of the time, one could say that Winnie, another of this ginger brood, is a pig’s cat as well 🙂