I didn’t come by my knowledge of how to turn a feral kittie into a domesticated cat out of thin air. It was knowledge hard gained from mistakes. The first feral I brought inside was my main teacher, because I did everything possible wrong with her. I discovered Rusty living under that truck with Smokey in 1999. She looked like she was maybe 2-3 months old, and I thought at first she might be Smokey’s offspring. After I kidnaped Smokey inside, she continued to hang around. I fed her, thinking that might “domesticate” her, and finally after a month I grabbed her. She was so flabbergasted, she didn’t fight till we got to my apartment, where I made the mistake of just putting her down in the living room.
Shed some tears over that one, TC. Shes really beautiful.
MY little black Smurfie is settling in. She wasnt feral, but too many changes in her life sort of blew her mind. I now haul Pookie (Waxwing) cage & all into my bedroom at night. Axel already sleeps in there in his bed. Did shut bedroom door the first night, but no more. Smurf has the run of the house at night. But in the morning shes waiting for breakfast (soft food) Her appetite is fine - uses her box - but still heads for her room if Axel barks or something strikes her wrong. Shes a little more comfortable every day. Comes out & computers with me - which means times it takes a bit longer to write an email than others!
Charlie Girl found her way to me around Halloween. She was emaciated and traumatized, and since she was black, I figured she'd been terrorized by some hateful someones. It took a year to win her over, but she made the move to another home with me. The vet pronounced her a "perfect" cat because of her good manners. She was eight then and already fixed, so she was apparently someone's beloved cat who lost her way. When she got old, she couldn't see or hear well and seemed to have dementia. One night, when I was headed to rehearsal, I picked her up for a good-bye hug. She gave a great sigh and I put her in her bed. When I got home, she was in the same position I put her in, but she was gone. I think that was her last breath.
My brothers and sisters brought home a street cat that the kids in the neighborhood had been mistreating. It was a pure white male cat with a pair of blue eyes. There was no veterinarian nearby (this was about 1961) before when there weren’t much amenities available in the boonies where we had moved to. Snowball was in pretty bad shape but with some food and attention, he turned into a good sized tomcat. He was never neutered so he was constantly fighting other males in the neighborhood and sowing his seeds for the next generation. Finally about ten years later, he came home all beat up with a huge infection around his left eye and ear. Now there was a veterinarian nearby, so Snowball ended up there to get treatment. The vet told us that Snowball was a pretty rare cat being white with blue eyes. Snowball got some antibiotics and had one infected tooth removed. He pulled through and had another five years with us until he went wandering and never returned, a feral cat to the end…
I became a subscriber just a couple of days ago so this is my first Fabulous Feline Friday. What a wonderful surprise to learn this side of you! Now I am even happier to have joined your substack group! Cat people are my kind of people. My best friends have domesticated feral cats for decades, with great success! Lovely boys and girls all! I got the benefit of their company as a favoured aunt.
I just LOVE these wonderful cat stories on Fridays! Thanks so much for adding them to your writing. BTW, our second cat was an orange tabby, female, named Miss Kitty. She was a barn cat and was absolutely fabulous. Able to have her from the moment she was a kitten. Our very first cat, named Cat, was dropped off one day where we lived on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, TN. This cat too was an orange tabby. We first named it Butch, thinking it was a male, UNTIL, one night our young son came running in saying that Butch was dying in his bed - well, no. Butch was having kittens! What a learning experience that was.
Wishing you a terrific 2023 with all that will make life rich and satisfying. Some peace of mind would be appreciated but my guess is you are quite able of finding that as needed. Blessings to you and your family.
We have two female orange tabby cats, Jonesy and Jolene. I had no idea they were so rare.
I know what you mean about “that moment.” We’ve had many feral cats in our rural area. We have a new one now someone must’ve dumped, and he or she is getting used to our other outdoor cats and us. But it has learned when feeding times are, and shows up every time, so we know it’s just a matter of, well...time, before they’re like the rest and underfoot every time we open the front door.
Lots of vet bills getting kitties spayed, neutered and vetted. Holy moly! But worth every penny in purrs and snuggles.
This is so lovely, TC. I'm a dog person, but my sister in Chicago had had numerous feral cats. I'm forwarding this piece to her. Thank you for your beautiful writing. Animals make us better humans.
I love the kitty stories from all of you, as well as Tom’s and it is fun hearing all the cool kitty names, right now I have sibling sisters Lily and Millie a white and black and a brown tabby who are queens of the house!
You sure know how to write a tearjerker TC. Thanks.
Shed some tears over that one, TC. Shes really beautiful.
MY little black Smurfie is settling in. She wasnt feral, but too many changes in her life sort of blew her mind. I now haul Pookie (Waxwing) cage & all into my bedroom at night. Axel already sleeps in there in his bed. Did shut bedroom door the first night, but no more. Smurf has the run of the house at night. But in the morning shes waiting for breakfast (soft food) Her appetite is fine - uses her box - but still heads for her room if Axel barks or something strikes her wrong. Shes a little more comfortable every day. Comes out & computers with me - which means times it takes a bit longer to write an email than others!
So glad I brought her home - very glad!
Charlie Girl found her way to me around Halloween. She was emaciated and traumatized, and since she was black, I figured she'd been terrorized by some hateful someones. It took a year to win her over, but she made the move to another home with me. The vet pronounced her a "perfect" cat because of her good manners. She was eight then and already fixed, so she was apparently someone's beloved cat who lost her way. When she got old, she couldn't see or hear well and seemed to have dementia. One night, when I was headed to rehearsal, I picked her up for a good-bye hug. She gave a great sigh and I put her in her bed. When I got home, she was in the same position I put her in, but she was gone. I think that was her last breath.
My brothers and sisters brought home a street cat that the kids in the neighborhood had been mistreating. It was a pure white male cat with a pair of blue eyes. There was no veterinarian nearby (this was about 1961) before when there weren’t much amenities available in the boonies where we had moved to. Snowball was in pretty bad shape but with some food and attention, he turned into a good sized tomcat. He was never neutered so he was constantly fighting other males in the neighborhood and sowing his seeds for the next generation. Finally about ten years later, he came home all beat up with a huge infection around his left eye and ear. Now there was a veterinarian nearby, so Snowball ended up there to get treatment. The vet told us that Snowball was a pretty rare cat being white with blue eyes. Snowball got some antibiotics and had one infected tooth removed. He pulled through and had another five years with us until he went wandering and never returned, a feral cat to the end…
I became a subscriber just a couple of days ago so this is my first Fabulous Feline Friday. What a wonderful surprise to learn this side of you! Now I am even happier to have joined your substack group! Cat people are my kind of people. My best friends have domesticated feral cats for decades, with great success! Lovely boys and girls all! I got the benefit of their company as a favoured aunt.
I just LOVE these wonderful cat stories on Fridays! Thanks so much for adding them to your writing. BTW, our second cat was an orange tabby, female, named Miss Kitty. She was a barn cat and was absolutely fabulous. Able to have her from the moment she was a kitten. Our very first cat, named Cat, was dropped off one day where we lived on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, TN. This cat too was an orange tabby. We first named it Butch, thinking it was a male, UNTIL, one night our young son came running in saying that Butch was dying in his bed - well, no. Butch was having kittens! What a learning experience that was.
Wishing you a terrific 2023 with all that will make life rich and satisfying. Some peace of mind would be appreciated but my guess is you are quite able of finding that as needed. Blessings to you and your family.
💙the pic of Rusty on her back, looking up at you. At least to me, the message is…I trust you TC, and Jurate.
Thanks ! This is so much more enjoyable than reading about the cat fight between those House members who shall go unnamed.
😻
We have two female orange tabby cats, Jonesy and Jolene. I had no idea they were so rare.
I know what you mean about “that moment.” We’ve had many feral cats in our rural area. We have a new one now someone must’ve dumped, and he or she is getting used to our other outdoor cats and us. But it has learned when feeding times are, and shows up every time, so we know it’s just a matter of, well...time, before they’re like the rest and underfoot every time we open the front door.
Lots of vet bills getting kitties spayed, neutered and vetted. Holy moly! But worth every penny in purrs and snuggles.
😥
"When her time came, she fell asleep in my arms that night, and when I woke in the morning, she was gone."
That's the way it should always happen.
Thanks, TC.
Maybe we should dub you the Cat Whisperer.
I was just going to write, what a great teacher. She was beautiful, and eventually happy. You learned well
Brought some tears to my eyes, my friend.
My son is very much a cat guy too. I love your photos of this beloved kitty and your narrative. Sending you all good wishes for 2023!
I call Rusty cats “Gingers”.
Fabulous teachers. So smart and independent and funny.
Great tale, TC.
🗽💜
This is so lovely, TC. I'm a dog person, but my sister in Chicago had had numerous feral cats. I'm forwarding this piece to her. Thank you for your beautiful writing. Animals make us better humans.
I love the kitty stories from all of you, as well as Tom’s and it is fun hearing all the cool kitty names, right now I have sibling sisters Lily and Millie a white and black and a brown tabby who are queens of the house!