FRIENDLY SQUIRREL: FREDDIE ENJOYS CAPE COUPLE

Freddie, a spindly little runt with no family, was left to survive on his own. But Freddie, actually Freddie II, was fortunate: He lived in John Seay's back yard.

Freddie II is a squirrel.

"He was certainly the runt of the litter," said Seay of Cape Girardeau, who has a number of bird and animal feeders in his yard.

Freddie accepted Seay's generosity and eventually came to trust his kindly human friend.

Now, when Freddie comes down the tree limb, he hops on Seay's shoulder for food or into the palm of his hand for a sip of water out of a cup.

Seay then takes Freddie to the carport for more food and water.

"He's a typical bright-eyed, bushy-tailed squirrel now," said Seay. "He seems to be doing fine."

Seay, a retired Federal Aviation Agency employee, said he first met Freddie II when a neighbor found the squirrel in her yard. "The neighbor brought the squirrel over in a paper sack,"he said. Seay and the squirrel immediately became friends.

"I fed him some Purina Kitty Chow," said Seay. "After a few days, Freddie II starting growing."

Today, Freddie spends a lot of time sitting in Seay's lap eating sunflower seeds.

"He's a little nervous when people are around," said Seay. But Freddie sat still long enough for pictures before scampering up a nearby tree.

"We used to see him every day," said Seay. "Now we seem him every day or so."

"We hadn't seem him for two and half days this time," said Seay's wife, Jean. "Earlier today he came up to the window and appeared to be peering in."

When John Seay walked outside with a bowl of sunflower seeds, Freddie was there on the spot.

Freddie is the second squirrel befriended by the Seays. In 1997, another squirrel became friends with them. But Freddie I wasn't quite as friendly.

"We feed a lot of squirrels and birds," said Seay. "We like being kind to animals."

Seay said at one time he hunted, although never for squirrels or rabbits. "It seemed so unfair to the smaller animals," he said.

Freddie II is a friend to a number of neighbors, said Seay. "Everybody knows him."

Recently Freddie had an unfortunate confrontation with a bird.

"A robin had a nest in the immediate area," said Seay. "Apparently Freddie got too close to the nest. The robin ran him away."

Seay figures that Freddie is about 4 months old now. "We don't know, but we think he was probably born in February or March," said Seay.

The Seays know that Freddie eventually will leave for good.

"He'll join his own animal friends and establish his own abode," said Seay. "But in the meanwhile we will have fun rehabilitating Freddie."

Seay believes Freddie can adjust to the wild.

"He's probably about ready to return to his home for good," said Seay. "We know we can't keep him as a pet forever.

"Freddie is free to come and go," said Seay. "But we couldn't kick him out. He would have starved.

"And you don't just place a squirrel in a tree and walk off," said Seay. "He would probably beat you back to the house."

Squirrels are not pets. Seay and Department of Conservation officials say squirrels make great babies but can be vicious adults. They have no domestic instincts, say DOC officials. Their bodies are designed for tree and dirt, not houses and cages."

It's OK to feed and nurture the small, helpless squirrel, say officials. Giving life is a good gift, but giving freedom to enjoy life is the greatest gift of all, they say.

The Seays will continue to enjoy Freddie's visits and will have some good memories when Freddie leaves his very special human nest.