Reader Peggy originally entered her cat Moe (whom I show first), but then decided to add her other cat, Jimmy:
Both of my cats, Jimmy and Moe, are wonderful cats, but I picked Moe for the contest (I still can’t believe he didn’t win) because he has undergone such a transformation since I first met him. He showed up in my backyard 4 years ago when he was about 9 months old. He was scraggly and scrawny like a typical stray cat. He adored my cat Jimmy, but seemed terrified of me. I fed him (and so did my neighbors) and after a couple of months I was able to catch him so he could be neutered. For about a year after that he was just an annoying outdoor cat who would get in fights and get soaking wet and would sit on my porch or in the backyard looking totally pathetic, but he would not come in the house. He vocalizes a lot and whenever I was outside he would follow me around, yakking nonstop, but if I tried to pet him he would scratch me. After about a year he started tentatively to enter the garage. Later he came in the house as long as I didn’t try to interact with him, but we became good friends from that point on. Over the past few years he has mellowed considerably and now, although still a little bit grouchy at times (and no longer a fan of Jimmy), is a total sweetie-pie, as you can see from his photo.
Mo et son ami:
That pose looks like Bil the Cat. Aaaack!
Very nice kittehs.
I love the story about Moe, but what happened with Jimmy that they aren’t buddies?
Yeah–that’s just what I wondered! Both *lovely* kittehs 🙂 Moe has a simply faa—bulous tail, doesn’t he! Jimmy (what cute black-and-white markings!) actually looks like he’s trying to get Moe’s attention in that photo;-)
I don’t know what happened, but once Moe moved in permanently he started acting like he wanted the place to himself. They accept each other, but grudgingly.
Woo-hoo! Another feral cat rescued from the streets and given a chance to live the good life!
Thank you, Peggy, and my congratulations!
Cheers,
b&
Cute cute cute!
Nice tail on that Moe.
My daughter recently obtained a second cat, through a rescue organization. I was very impressed–they came out for a site visit and made her sign various agreements and pledges before turning over her selection, and he came all cleaned up and neutered and vaccinated and ready to make friends(?) with the big fatso who already lives there.
(I refer, of course, to the other cat, not my ex-wife.)
“…after a couple of months I was able to catch him so he could be neutered.”
“He adored my cat Jimmy, but seemed terrified of me.”
Apparently with very good reason.
Anthropomorphise much?
…(I thought that was funneh…;-))
A tip re feral cats, based on comments in Bruce Fogle’s “The Cat’s Mind”:
Kittens have a very short period in which they can become socialized to humans: from two to eight weeks of age. Truly feral kittens who’ve never had any human interaction before about 8 weeks of age are very unlikely to ever become socialized. (Though, of course, there are always a few exceptions.)
There are stray cats one thinks of as feral, but if in their kittenhood they were in a human household, there is hope for them becoming good pets.
Fogle then suggests that if you get a kitten, get one from someone with children. The kids will have handled the kitten(s) constantly and as a result they are very well socialized.
“The Cat’s Mind” is a book that every cat lover should have a copy of.
And do not get one from a cat farm where they are kept in cages, get fed twice a day and hardly see a person at all. It makes them very nervous and not very friendly.
I need to start sending pictures of my sister’s cats. They almost feel like mine because I lived with her for about six months. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment now, and I can’t have any cats or dogs, so my boyfriend and I have two pet rats. Can I send pictures of them instead?
Umm. . . we’ve never featured rats before, but if you have a cute picture and an appealing story, why not?
A fine furry feline.
Cat scan 🙂