From Feral to Lovable, Happy Cats
This is a true story. We moved into our new home one year ago today. We have a large backyard with a large patio and outbuilding. We had 2 strictly indoor cats that we rescued years ago. I had just lost my 15 year old rescued cat, Kitty, a few months before we moved, and I lost my 14 year old rescued cat 3 months after we moved. It was a sad time for me, but I was comforted by the fact that they had a wonderful life. I still had 'Stinker', who also found me, and I knew God would be sending me other cats that needed a helping hand. I have always been a cat lover, and I feel like I have been put on earth to help take care of them. I have had cats from the time I was a little girl, and stray and abused cats seem to find me wherever I am.
Mama is a beautiful, petite, longhair black cat who found us the first week we moved into our new home. She had big green eyes and a fluffy tail, but she was very frightened of people. She had obviously been very abused, very depressed, and appeared to be very hungry. She took a chance and found her way to our large covered patio and we would sometimes see her sleeping on one of our lounge chairs or lurking about the back door. Of course, my first instinct was to feed her and giver her some water. I found her a pretty bowl, filled it with organic cat food which I would leave outside in the evening. She would not come near me, and I respected her privacy. I would talk gently to her every time I went outside, almost as if I was talking to a baby, and eventually she became bolder, coming out in the daytime.A few months went by and I would see her now and again, but at least I knew she was well fed and watered. One time she was gone for two weeks and I was frantic thinking she might be hurt or hungry. It was winter so I made a nice soft wool bed for her which I spun myself, hoping that she would one night come back.
One bright sunny day I was standing at the back door looking for her when I saw 2, no 3, no 4 little furry heads pop out from under our outbuilding! They were playing and having so much fun! About that time I saw a huge old tom cat go up to them and though I thought there was going to be trouble, I realized he was the Daddy and was playing with them!
About that time, Mama joined them and they took off walking down the fencerow. I thought, what a nice little family! They may have been unloved by humans, but they certainly loved each other. I would see Mama or Big Daddy hunting for squirrels, rabbits, birds, ground squirrels or whatever animal was available to him that day, or he would proudly bring home a kill and I knew the kittens had plenty to eat.
I didn't see the kittens for quite a while, but Mama still came by every day for her food. I continued to talk softly to her and eventually she got a little closer and a little closer. My goal was to get her to trust me enough to of course let me love and care for her, but also be able to get her to a Vet for shots and to get spayed.
Eventually her kittens, well they weren't quite kittens anymore, started coming to the patio. At first they were very skiddish, as they had never been around humans, but since then I have named them all and I have been able to pet Stripers and Simon.
Stripers is a big American shorthair who is a big talker! He is the most trusting and lays down and rolls around and wants to be petted. He wanders over in the morning and evening to get fed, and if I am outside spinning, or just reading, he will come by to see me and get some love. I think I will be able to get him neutered before winter, as he now wants to come inside and play with my cat Stinker.
Simon has beautiful blue eyes, and looks like a Siamese Tabby! He is mostly white, with some black and gray stripes. He is also a big talker and just recently left me pet him and rub his belly. Hopefully, I will be able to get him neutered also before winter.
Another kitten, Gray Face, is not so trusting, but is getting much better, and as soon as I can I will also have him neutered.
It has been a year now since she came to us, and Mama still won't let me touch her, but she has made huge progress, and she will come close to me and talk to me, and she enjoys rolling and laying on the patio. She is always here in the morning and evening for her food, and she will spend the day on the patio curled up on a lounge chair. She must have been horribly abused as a kitten! She has had 3 other sets of kittens since last year, and apparently they all died. She just delivered her 4th set of kittens two days ago, (I don't know where, but I think they are under the building) and hopefully I will be able to have her spayed before she gets pregnant again. My fingers are crossed!
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