Hungry calves, thirsty cats

George and Gracie are about eight weeks old, growing well and eating like crazy.  In another month or so, they will be turned out with the herd.  We use electric fence to keep the cows off the newly-planted clover and to keep the horses off any area where the legumes (clover and alfalfa) are so rich that they might founder if allowed to graze as much as they want.  The calves need to be trained to electric fence; they have to learn that it hurts.  
Cliff put up a small stretch of electric fence in the little lot a few days ago, since I turn the calves out in the little lot almost daily in order to let them exercise.  Both of them got a shock the first day and quickly learned it isn't a good idea to touch their noses to electric fence.  
Yesterday we took their lesson a step further:  There is no good grazing in the small lot, just weeds mostly, but the calves want something green so badly that they pick at it anyway.  Cliff decided to electric-fence an area of our yard so they could have fun eating grass, and also find out what it's actually like to be contained by an electric fence.  

They were out there for three hours and never stopped grazing.  Actually, the alfalfa hay I feed them is better for them than grass, but it sure was fun watching their enjoyment of the grass.  They both got shocked a few times and now have a good understanding of how electric fencing works, and how that little wire hurts when you touch it, no matter where you encounter it.  
The calves no longer get their bottles.  I've been feeding them a very expensive grain mixture, calf starter, all along.  Now I am giving them calf starter in the evening and sweet feed, a much cheaper grain mix, in the morning.  There is one bag of starter left; when it's gone, they will get sweet feed once a day and, as usual, all the alfalfa hay they can eat.  

Yesterday morning when I did chores I noticed the cats were out of water in the barn.  I intended to take care of that situation, but somehow it slipped my mind.  I was sitting at my computer and looked out the window to see this:  

He drank for the longest time!  Shortly after this, I noticed more activity at the birdbath.

 Suzy, too, spent plenty of time drinking.

"What do you expect?  You didn't give us any water!"

The water tower mystery: It's all in the perspective

I took this picture this morning from my yard.  Just to the right of center, you can see our little town's two water towers, the old one, still in use, and the new one.  These towers affect me not at all.  We have a well, and besides, those towers are only for the town folks.  This is looking toward the east.  Looks like the one on the left (new) is shorter.  

 As we returned from a short trip this morning, I had Cliff pull over so I could take a picture looking north.  Yes, the one on the left, the new one, is a tiny bit shorter.  

Definitely.  

 Quite a bit shorter, looking west at the towers.

 From my daughter's house, the new one seems a LOT shorter.

 As we leave town, I look back eastward and the new tower (on the left now) has begun to grow and is actually taller!  

I'm so confused.