Mimi Hiss Cat
In addition to our housing four cats, Wife feeds several feral cats who come around begging for food at the back door. About a year ago, a little gray tabby would come around to the front of the house, and Wife started feeding her in the alley, so that she could get eats without being bullied by the bigger wild cats. (Her ear is clipped, which means she was trapped at some time in the past and spayed, so we didn't have to address that.) She may have still been a kitten then, but hasn't increased much in size since then. She must be part of the wild gray tabby family in the neighborhood to which our Oswin and Oswald (whom we got as kittens from a passing Good Samaritan) are related. She has the same black spine stripe and short, stubby legs as Oswin. She didn't really know how to cat, though. Wife would approach her, and she'd jump away. Then she'd make a little "mi mi" sound, and then hiss. Thus, Wife named her Mimi Hiss Cat.
Over the months, Mimi got more used to Wife, and would finally stand still when being fooded. She even permitted brief pettings. Within the last few months, she's graduated to headbutts and rollies, and has come to love pettings. Mimi started hanging out in front of our house to the point where strangers would knock on the door to warn us that maybe our cat had gotten loose. She'd linger in the front yard going "mi mi mi mi" until Wife would come out for fooding and pettings.
Recently, we've had the Nor'easters and bitter cold, and Mimi would disappear for a few days at a time, worrying Wife until Mimi would turn up again for more foodings. Last week, we found her huddling against the front door in the cold. Wife let her into the vestibule, and then decided to trap her, keep her warm and fed, and take her to the vet at the first opportunity, which was yesterday (Monday). While in the house, we've been keeping her in the guest bath room to separate the other cats from her.
The vet did de-worming, de-ear miting and vaccination for rabies and distemper. Happily, Mimi tested negative for FIV and all the other communicable cat nasties. So we could adopt her. The concerns are how the other cats might react (particularly Oswin, who is poised to become the Queen Bee as Neff declines; we think the boys won't care much). The other question is whether she could really be a domestic cat after more than a year as a wild one. I'm thinking "yes," because she just loves being petted (though not picked up), not just by Wife, but also by Son and me.
So I don't want to jinx it, but I think we're about to officially be a five-cat home.
A very glum little cat after having been trapped in the vestibule. But she's warm and fed.
We love cheek, ear and neck rubs. A tail stroke was we pass by is not unwelcome, either.
Reclining on the trapping cage with a soft mat on top. Have to keep an eye on those mirror cats, though, in case they try to grab cat fud.
Over the months, Mimi got more used to Wife, and would finally stand still when being fooded. She even permitted brief pettings. Within the last few months, she's graduated to headbutts and rollies, and has come to love pettings. Mimi started hanging out in front of our house to the point where strangers would knock on the door to warn us that maybe our cat had gotten loose. She'd linger in the front yard going "mi mi mi mi" until Wife would come out for fooding and pettings.
Recently, we've had the Nor'easters and bitter cold, and Mimi would disappear for a few days at a time, worrying Wife until Mimi would turn up again for more foodings. Last week, we found her huddling against the front door in the cold. Wife let her into the vestibule, and then decided to trap her, keep her warm and fed, and take her to the vet at the first opportunity, which was yesterday (Monday). While in the house, we've been keeping her in the guest bath room to separate the other cats from her.
The vet did de-worming, de-ear miting and vaccination for rabies and distemper. Happily, Mimi tested negative for FIV and all the other communicable cat nasties. So we could adopt her. The concerns are how the other cats might react (particularly Oswin, who is poised to become the Queen Bee as Neff declines; we think the boys won't care much). The other question is whether she could really be a domestic cat after more than a year as a wild one. I'm thinking "yes," because she just loves being petted (though not picked up), not just by Wife, but also by Son and me.
So I don't want to jinx it, but I think we're about to officially be a five-cat home.
A very glum little cat after having been trapped in the vestibule. But she's warm and fed.
We love cheek, ear and neck rubs. A tail stroke was we pass by is not unwelcome, either.
Reclining on the trapping cage with a soft mat on top. Have to keep an eye on those mirror cats, though, in case they try to grab cat fud.