Open Territory for Cats

Apparently, it takes approximately two months for a deceased cat's territory to become a new cat's territory, or at least that's how long it's taken for a couple of neighborhood strays to move into our yard.

This female, her mate and their kitten have been spending a fair amount of time hanging out in the yard lately. They're not new to the neighborhood -- Mister Tanaka liked to chase them around the yard, him peering out of the windows, them staring back -- but they are becoming bolder. She seems to think she lives here, sacked out on the front steps like that!