Scooter is a member of the original group of feral kittens we adopted back in 2011 that include Roscoe. They were the offspring of Patches, one of the three feral kittens who approached me in late 2010, looking for food. The other two were Patches’ sister, Teena, and brother Shadow. They literally came scratching at out back door in late November 2010, the last kittens of the 2010 season; I began feeding them and they took up residence in the garden our landlady had out back. Sadly for Patches, she wasn’t a successful mother cat; she lost her first litter when she hid them in our attic and they died in a June heatwave; listening to their mewling as they passed away in a part of the attic too low for me to get to them was heartbreaking. Roscoe, Sam and Scooter, and their sister Lucky who was adopted by a friend of ours, were Patches’ second litter, born that September. After we caught these kittens, I was able to catch Patches and take her to Fix Nation for a TNR; unfortunately when she came back to the yard, she ran off and I never saw her again.
Confession: I love SCOOTER. It was love a first sight. All the positive cliches about love fit this case. It is the first time that I needed your fabulous felines, TC. The times have gotten to me. and 'love is need today.' One more thing:
Skin irritation and lesions. Hair loss. Numbness, tingling and pain. Vomiting and seizures. Even 2,700 reported pet deaths. These are some of the harms to cats and dogs from Seresto flea and tick collars, as reported by more than 100,000 people. The collars have even been used on endangered San Joaquin kit foxes in California.
The collars are banned in Canada for good reason. It's past time for the United States to ban these dangerous products too.
The Center for Biological Diversity has been working for years on the scientific, legal and legislative fronts to expose and avoid the damage caused by Seresto collars.
But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has yet to take any action to even warn the public. And now the agency is talking about shifting the job of regulating these products to the Food and Drug Administration. While that shift makes sense, the process will take time — and we need action on Seresto now. More than 2,700 pets have already reportedly died from these collars.
You can help: Tell the EPA to immediately ban Seresto collars.
The first cat who was officially mine, gifted to me on my 21st birthday by my sister, was also gray and white. Honey was the runt of the litter (maybe a bit brain damaged?) and also standoffish. If I moved a muscle on the rare occasions she curled up on my lap, boom! Gone. She was with me through college graduation, speech/lang internship, first job, marriage, moving several times and the birth of my twins. She was 18 when she died and always acted more like the feral cats you describe. I still think of her fondly despite her “weirdness”, or maybe because of it.
Ahhh, Feline Friday. Thanks for the story and pictures. My cats are running amok today. Springlike weather, and they WANT OUTSIDE NOW (they are indoor cats, except for their catio). It didn't help I was cooking outside on the deck.
Thank you for the story of Scooter TC. She is precious and reminds me of my Gordon Whitefoot kitty that was so slow to trust. She is pretty much glued to me now and I love her. Along with the rest of the group.
So glad this didn’t end with another “end.” May Scooter continue her journey to love and accept love. Seems that we all have trouble on that journey, since vulnerability necessitates wariness, for some more than others. Your consistent love is the key, no wonder some show up at your back door…
thanks, Tom, for observing Feline Friday, and this is a lovely piece.
I was about to co-opt it in an outburst of thoroughly splenetic rage about Naomi Wolf (someone I always thought was completely overrated and not to be taken seriously except possibly--sorry in advance, folks--as a sexual opportunity) and her astounding and moronic Right Turn (you can read it all in her horrifying Substack apology to Fox et al). I have all sorts of reasons for disliking Camille Paglia (for the VERY most part), but her twenty-odd years of take-downs of Naomi Wolf represent some of her (that is, Camille's) best moments.
I was about to say (then got carried away) that I WASN'T going to fuck up a lovely Feline Friday with this shit, so I'm stopping myself now (as it inches toward two am). and anyway, it'll be MUCH better if I have some equally enraged allies with whom to connect, as per usual.
Adorable. Maybe you could write a book entitled All the Cats I've Known. There used to be many feral cats around our mixed rural/urban area but they have become fewer, we think because we had foxes for a time, and coyotes. I miss them showing up at odd times of the year actually. Several did become pets for as long as they stayed around. Our first experience with a feral cat was when we lived in a cottage on the old part of Signal Mountain outside Chattanooga in the late 70's. One day an orange tabby showed up, boldly came inside, and made its home with us. Of course, it also was free to come and go as it pleased. We called this cat Spike! But then a strange thing happened. One night our young son came running into our room in the middle of the night to tell us that Spike was dying. We went to his room and there in his bed where Spike usually slept at the foot, kittens were being born! Wow! What a wake up that was! H/she had three kittens which we eventually were able to give to good homes. Spike became Spikette. Eventually she left and we never saw her again. They inhabit another world.
I love reading about your feline family! You possess such loving patience.
Not to hijack Friday Felines but I want to direct your attention to the following article which details the firing of Ben Montgomery from the Tampa area Axios newsletter. Montgomery was let go after he pushed back on a press release from Governor Ron DeSantis’ office, calling it propaganda. I receive several of their newsletters and have responded to several expressing my anger at his dismissal and received a reply from each, including Sara Goo. If you subscribe I hope you’ll all do the same. https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ben-montgomery-ron-desantis
Another lovely girl, TC. Smurfie is still kind of flighty. But getting better all the time - shes a head-butter! Comes up & just pushes her head against my hand & keeps it there. This is so very helpful when I'm "computering"!!
Makes me think of children I have taught and adults I know who are trying hard to come "in" from some "outside" place in their lives. They, too, often bolt when you get too close for their comfort level. It is such a process! Thank you so much, TC. Even we non--cat people can get much out of Feline Friday.
And the dangerous collars Fern talked about leads to a whole other reflection-- there IS the immediate need to get them banned so that animals don't die from the very thing advertised to help them; then there is our society, so full of this anomaly.in tbe human species too. TY, Fern!
Confession: I love SCOOTER. It was love a first sight. All the positive cliches about love fit this case. It is the first time that I needed your fabulous felines, TC. The times have gotten to me. and 'love is need today.' One more thing:
Skin irritation and lesions. Hair loss. Numbness, tingling and pain. Vomiting and seizures. Even 2,700 reported pet deaths. These are some of the harms to cats and dogs from Seresto flea and tick collars, as reported by more than 100,000 people. The collars have even been used on endangered San Joaquin kit foxes in California.
The collars are banned in Canada for good reason. It's past time for the United States to ban these dangerous products too.
The Center for Biological Diversity has been working for years on the scientific, legal and legislative fronts to expose and avoid the damage caused by Seresto collars.
But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has yet to take any action to even warn the public. And now the agency is talking about shifting the job of regulating these products to the Food and Drug Administration. While that shift makes sense, the process will take time — and we need action on Seresto now. More than 2,700 pets have already reportedly died from these collars.
You can help: Tell the EPA to immediately ban Seresto collars.
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
Take Action
EPA: Ban These Dangerous Flea Collars
The first cat who was officially mine, gifted to me on my 21st birthday by my sister, was also gray and white. Honey was the runt of the litter (maybe a bit brain damaged?) and also standoffish. If I moved a muscle on the rare occasions she curled up on my lap, boom! Gone. She was with me through college graduation, speech/lang internship, first job, marriage, moving several times and the birth of my twins. She was 18 when she died and always acted more like the feral cats you describe. I still think of her fondly despite her “weirdness”, or maybe because of it.
Thanks for letting me bring her memory closer.
Ahhh, Feline Friday. Thanks for the story and pictures. My cats are running amok today. Springlike weather, and they WANT OUTSIDE NOW (they are indoor cats, except for their catio). It didn't help I was cooking outside on the deck.
Thank you for the story of Scooter TC. She is precious and reminds me of my Gordon Whitefoot kitty that was so slow to trust. She is pretty much glued to me now and I love her. Along with the rest of the group.
So glad this didn’t end with another “end.” May Scooter continue her journey to love and accept love. Seems that we all have trouble on that journey, since vulnerability necessitates wariness, for some more than others. Your consistent love is the key, no wonder some show up at your back door…
thanks, Tom, for observing Feline Friday, and this is a lovely piece.
I was about to co-opt it in an outburst of thoroughly splenetic rage about Naomi Wolf (someone I always thought was completely overrated and not to be taken seriously except possibly--sorry in advance, folks--as a sexual opportunity) and her astounding and moronic Right Turn (you can read it all in her horrifying Substack apology to Fox et al). I have all sorts of reasons for disliking Camille Paglia (for the VERY most part), but her twenty-odd years of take-downs of Naomi Wolf represent some of her (that is, Camille's) best moments.
I was about to say (then got carried away) that I WASN'T going to fuck up a lovely Feline Friday with this shit, so I'm stopping myself now (as it inches toward two am). and anyway, it'll be MUCH better if I have some equally enraged allies with whom to connect, as per usual.
Scooter was balm to my strung out soul. Thank you!
Adorable. Maybe you could write a book entitled All the Cats I've Known. There used to be many feral cats around our mixed rural/urban area but they have become fewer, we think because we had foxes for a time, and coyotes. I miss them showing up at odd times of the year actually. Several did become pets for as long as they stayed around. Our first experience with a feral cat was when we lived in a cottage on the old part of Signal Mountain outside Chattanooga in the late 70's. One day an orange tabby showed up, boldly came inside, and made its home with us. Of course, it also was free to come and go as it pleased. We called this cat Spike! But then a strange thing happened. One night our young son came running into our room in the middle of the night to tell us that Spike was dying. We went to his room and there in his bed where Spike usually slept at the foot, kittens were being born! Wow! What a wake up that was! H/she had three kittens which we eventually were able to give to good homes. Spike became Spikette. Eventually she left and we never saw her again. They inhabit another world.
Cat rewarding you with her only gift for your caring for their skin-mother Jurate? Wouldn't be surprised
Scooter Chipmunk ❤ Sweet lady. Cats definitely live and
associate with us on their own
terms of agreement.
I love reading about your feline family! You possess such loving patience.
Not to hijack Friday Felines but I want to direct your attention to the following article which details the firing of Ben Montgomery from the Tampa area Axios newsletter. Montgomery was let go after he pushed back on a press release from Governor Ron DeSantis’ office, calling it propaganda. I receive several of their newsletters and have responded to several expressing my anger at his dismissal and received a reply from each, including Sara Goo. If you subscribe I hope you’ll all do the same. https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ben-montgomery-ron-desantis
Another lovely girl, TC. Smurfie is still kind of flighty. But getting better all the time - shes a head-butter! Comes up & just pushes her head against my hand & keeps it there. This is so very helpful when I'm "computering"!!
Such a process of building up trust.
Makes me think of children I have taught and adults I know who are trying hard to come "in" from some "outside" place in their lives. They, too, often bolt when you get too close for their comfort level. It is such a process! Thank you so much, TC. Even we non--cat people can get much out of Feline Friday.
And the dangerous collars Fern talked about leads to a whole other reflection-- there IS the immediate need to get them banned so that animals don't die from the very thing advertised to help them; then there is our society, so full of this anomaly.in tbe human species too. TY, Fern!
Another sweet story! A great addition to my weekend get away with friends where we are all taking a break from the news of the world.
Cat’s rule 🐈
I never thought I would look forward to hearing about someone else’s cat(s). Haven’t had one of my own for about 60 years.