This cat chose us

Beautiful Bella

Feb 27, 2026

Furlandia (our Rescue Center) is in a Reserve in the middle of nowhere in Northern California. It was once a Nomlaki Indian Reservation, and people here believe that they can still hear “the drumming” late at night. I haven’t heard it, but I suppose those more spirituality sensitive than I could probably tune it in.

Rumour has it that in the late 1800’s the US government, having put the indigenous population on this Reserve, also decided for the residents that Oats would be the right thing to plant and sell to a local flour mill. Afterall, wild oats flourished here even before Europeans settled the area. This is where my surprise story begins.

I have acres of oats and they are a major fire hazard. They also make good feed for the donkey. So, my job is to cut and harvest the oats. It is generally around 100 degrees here on summer days, so I work from 7am til about 1 pm hand cutting the oats. I rake the cut oaks and put them in bales in the evening when it starts to cool down. I do this for six weeks at the beginning of summer.

One year ago this date I was cutting oats (I use an electric weed cutter for the oats and a pickaxe for the horehound) when I had to stop and get rid of a large horehound plant. I aimed for the plant base (the roots always grow uphill, so I was on the wrong side of the plant at the moment). It would take a vicious swing of the axe to fell the plant in one go, and I prepared to do just that. But as I raised the axe, a tiny face appeared on my side of the horehound. It didn’t make any sound, but it took several steps toward me and sat on my boot. I was flabbergasted to see a tiny Siamese kitten. No sign of a mother or other kittens, just this one bold, tiny cat.

(Above - Bella quickly adapted to indoor life)

Nothing like this had ever happened before and it hasn’t happened since. I picked the kitten up and brought her back to the studio. We named her “Bella” because she is, in fact, quite beautiful.

Bella has changed our lives in many ways since that day. She lives with us and moves in and out of the studio as she sees fits. She studies everything we do, watches a couple of favourite tv shows with us and eats popcorn. When I paint, she will be on my table, watching. She often picks a brush from one of my brush pots and lays it down for me to use. She knows exactly what brushes I use and what I use them for. She also supervises my computer time and when she thinks I’ve been on too long, she will move the mouse and watch the cursor to let me know it’s time to get off the electronic device.

When I am working in the fields, I think of that tiny version of her that came from behind a horehound plant and I swing the axe more carefully than I had done in the past. I’m also very careful with the electric weed cutter. Sometimes she comes out to watch me while I cut oats, but she generally stays about 30-40 feet away. She is good company whether I am on the computer or cutting oats. She is friends with the donkey, who also watches me (hoping for a handful of oats as I work). It comforts me to see the donkey at the fence and Bella lying a few feet away from him.

(Above - The beautiful Bella, who assisted me in painting her portrait.)

There are many ways and many types of animals here in Furlandia, but I think Bella had the most dramatic arrival. Certainly, the most unexpected. It is still a mystery as to how she came to be here. One theory put forth by another rancher is that the mysterious late-night Nomlaki drummer left her as a gift one night. And I believe that anything is possible.

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