Cleo the Feral Cat

There is so much to unpack about this it could make a book. This is the result of 7 months of 24/7 work with a feral cat, sleeping with it, feeding it, teaching it how to play (meh, only likes the laser) and even how to meow.

We have...er....had 2 six year old cats, LittleBird and HoobaGary. I had intended at our age (mid 60s) that these would be the last cats we have - we'll be in our 70s when they die with us not so far behind - both of them are replacements for two beloved cats that died, TedBird and Ambrose Butterbutt. Both passed in our arms at home. LittleBird and HoobaGary are truly gifts, so much alike the ones they replace.

Behind our condo, we have a large forested valley. We have hawks, squirrels, deer, foxes, raccoons, coyote.

Last May, one of our cats, HoobaGary, was having a fit in the basement at the sliding glass door. Well, there was a little black kitten out there. It had a bad injury on one leg and was obviously a feral cat from it's behavior (or was abused and ran off). So I set up the live trap and brought her inside and put her in the room we have set up as a cat nursery. Yeah, we have a bedroom used just for that. The room has a sliding screen door and a nice window overlooking the forest.

So, the kitten was a hissing, growling mess, wouldn't let anyone come near, hid all the time. But when I set up a catbox for her, she started using it right away. Interesting.

I took a filing cabinet and set it up against one wall, set out about 6 inches so she could hide under there. I got her used to eating wet and dry cat food, got a bottle of "Rescue Remedy" (A liquid that actually calms animals - and humans) and put that in her water.

After a month, I could be around her without the hissing and growling. But all that time and not a peep of a meow. Then, I got a mother cat purring audio file and played that for her for a few days as well as cats meowing.

Now she won't shut up and let me get a word in edgewise. Never should have taught her to talk. Anyways, after 5 months she got to the point where I could actually show her my hand without her having a hissing panic - I did it by showing her my hand scooping cat food into a bowl. After that she would sniff my fingers without trouble but NO petting, no sir, keep your grubby monkey paws off me.

I've also identified that she is an American Bombay - those giant eyes! Black pads on the paws, black nose and the little white patch. And the giant eyes.

Then I began trying to get her to the vet for her combo test and shots so she could join the other two cats. 5 times I tried. 5 times I failed. I even bought leather animal handling gloves. That was a disaster of epic proportions. You thought a tornado was bad (been through 2 myself), this was the cat version.

So, I put her food bowl in the cat carrier. 6th times the charm. So after 7 long months, Cleo got to the vet yesterday (1/21/21). Took 3 of us to hold her down whereupon the vet says, "Yep, he's a healthy BOY." Honestly, I've had cats all my 63 years and I didn't see any......accessories....down there. So HE had his leukemia test (clean) and got HIS first round of shots and has an appointment to get snipped in April.

So I opened the screen door and started taping the entire affair. So far HE'S come halfway down the stairs. It's so cute watching HIM exploring a little bit at a time.

HIS name is now Cleophas (look it up) due to the power of prayer that was expended on HIS behalf.

I'll post updates as we go along if there's interest.


PART of my collection of plants on the deck (which is 30 feet above ground level) with the forest in the background.


The valley behind our condo - 5,000 acres - this shot is the valley floor 50 feet below our deck which overhangs it. Those patches with the bushes overhanging is where the foxes have their dens


Cleophas outside eating some food I set out.


Cleophas after 2 months living with us looking outside. Look at those eyes!


Cleo and HoobaGary visiting through the screen door in the nursery.


3 techs, me and the vet holding Cleo down for the exam. Not happy. We'll talk about this when we get home dad.


Cleo getting his first poke. Now we're really going to have a talk. I hate you humans.


A very timid formerly feral tomcat makes his way down the stairs for the very first time.


And finally Cleo meeting is new sister LittleBird for the very first time.

Bless you for all you have done.

People tell me that I sure put in a lot of work at this. Well, one of our best friends who we got our 2 six year olds from (LittleBird was a stray from the mean streets of Flint, MI and 8 weeks old when we got her), HoobaGary was part of a 6 cat home when their cat dad came home from work and dropped dead. So the backstory of our cats is very meaninful.

Our friend is one of the people that go into homes where "home with 60 cats" stories start out. She's the one that goes in, wrangles them, nurses them and then adopts them out under very strict background checks.

Gloria has been a great help with Cleo, encouraging me along the way. What would have happened if I had taken Cleo to the humane society is they would have snipped him and released him on a farm. Gloria at any one time is working with 50 cats so I couldn't very well foist this off on her.

So, yeah, it's a lot of work but honestly, I don't really notice it because it's worth it.

originally posted by: Granitebones
Bless you for all you have done.

Thank you. It's actually a blessing to be able to do it.

a reply to: billxam

Wow, Bravo.

One question.

You:

Me:

He is beautiful ! He will trust you some day
Once got home and a feral cat followed me all the way inside, she was skinny and whining. I let her come to my home, fed her she was ok ( i had another cat then too, big norwegian forest neutered male ) i guess she smelled that i am a cat person and that is why she picked me.
So on the second week she delivered 3 puppies, she nursed them two and half weeks and took a hike and never seen her again. I guess she thought that i would be their mom instead of her.

What a heartwarming story! I hope one day he decides to drop his defenses, like mine did!
I had a neighbor's cat hanging out for three-four years that I constantly chased off...even throwing things her (?) direction to show I meant business. I really didn't like my garden 'surprises'.
Two winters ago I looked out the window and saw her drinking from our pond- about 30/40 feet away. I could plainly see all of her ribs. I put some food on the porch, which disappeared some time during the night. This went on for a long time; she wouldn't come to the porch in the daytime. Then one day she did- but as soon as she saw me she was gone. I started standing at the window when I put food out, and she eventually started eating with an audience.
By summer we had her coming to feed while we stayed on the porch. Another skinny cat that had been abandoned when his owners moved joined her; he was as skinny as she was when he adopted us, but came to trust us pretty quickly. I think that helped our first feral realize we weren't so bad. She now sits in the window when she wants us to come visit, and rubs on our legs. She like being petted even more than food now.
I think Mama Kitty must be around 6-7 years old, and Big Bubba is about 4 now. They've brought a lot of joy to our life. Now I know what it's like to have a feline overlord.

a reply to: Bigburgh

We live in Michigan so the deck does NOT look like that right now.

I have Syncope so being in your photo would land me in the hospital, they'd ask about my vaccine status, a bunch of people would browbeat me and I'd stagger off into the parking lot full of snow.

a reply to: dollukka

He trusts me now. It takes a long, long time for a feral with no human contact to allow petting. That's why getting him with the other two petting addicts will show him that yes, petting is good.

We had a 6 month old feral tortie decide she would live with us, and she did. But she never was easy with much petting. She did show affection, and you could hold her but only if you made your arms more like a perch instead of trying to secure her when you held her.

I called her Pissy Missy all the time, but her name was Salsa.

Pretty kitties !!! And cats do find you and choose you to be in their lives …. Good job !

That one will bond with you and you have a little buddy from now on .
Don't be surprised if the little one gets real needy as far as petting from you goes .

Veteran of 3 little buddies found the same way over the years , and more than a few I have brought back to health and adopted out .

Here's an update! Today is the first day Cleo came downstairs into the living room. Here's some photos of the shenanigans. He took over his big brother's catbox, got in a fight with his big sister. Just another cat day.


That's one small step for a cat, a giant leap.....oh never mind, it's all about Cleo


I like this catbox, I shall mark it as mine.


The first time he meets his big sister. They're getting along so "good."


All 3 of them together for the first time

a reply to: billxam

Looks about like a normal multi-cat intro with adults. They'll all be a bit stiff with each other until they've gotten used to the new guy in their digs. It'll take them some time to work out who's where in the pecking order and sort out the time-share on the favored spots and all that.

Usually, they work it out without too much fuss, but occasionally there are social issues.

It might help your case some that there are other kitties in the mix.

a reply to: billxam

Wonderful story and well told. As an aside, have you considered letting your muse run in the Short Stories contests? It's that kind of frankness that can often lead to a really gripping story.

I really enjoyed your recounting of the various stages of Cleophas's and your lives so far. It takes care and insight to bring a feral cat into your circle.

I live in the tropics, and 14 feral cats have graced our lives; eight of them still living. Most of our ferals stay outside and therefore we can only rarely physically touch them. They have several acres of bush to roam in, and that bush is rich with rodents, lizards, birds and feral chickens for them to hunt. All of them have been neutered. All of them have found us -- showed up one day, usually as an emaciated kitten. Three of ours are indoor/outdoor cats. Our best boy - Rascal -- sleeps with us at night, but spends most of the day outside.

When he was less than a year old, once we began feeding him and he bonded to us, he would greet us by springing from cover and biting and clawing the crap out of our legs, always bloodying them. We couldn't break him of this, and it was like living in a horror movie with this attack cat always lurking. I remember one time after I took the garbage out, Rascal attacked me from behind. I spun and smacked him from way down low and with more force than I should have used. He spun and twisted through the air, landed on his feet facing me, and spread his paws and stuck his butt up in the air with his mouth wide in a grin as if to say, "NOW, we're playing!!!" I was never so frightened of a cat it all my life. My wife was in constant terror of him. The only way we could motivate him to not attack us was to exclude him from the house. Attack either one of us, you are banished for two days. He hasn't done that in years, and is a sweet and gentle cat, as long as one never tries to touch his stomach. Actually, my wife can do so, but not me. He chose to domesticate himself. He is at this moment sleeping on the very high shelf in my closet, snuggled into my long pants.

People who haven't had cats consider them expendable, that they don't give you what dogs and other pets do. I think they give as good as they get, and in their own way, tell you how much you matter. When I am working outside, often I become aware that several of them are gathered around me. Not waiting for food. Just there, as if they've teleported in place. Same goes when I play music, except when I choose the tinwhistle as my weapon. They don't like that.

Cats live life entirely on their own terms. While frequently frustrating, I entirely respect that. When they die, they frequently choose to go alone, which is difficult for their people. You cannot order a cat to not go across the road; they will stand in the middle of the road, as if to say, "this road? This one? This is the one you want me to stay out of?" You cannot order a cat to do anything. You cannot order a cat, you can only negotiate. Those of us that understand this negotiate a mutually enjoyable relationship with these very strange creatures. I have loved many dogs, and don't think I want to take the deep pain of their loss. When a cat dies or gets killed that hurts also, but it is more ........... what to call it........... transitory. You remember them fondly, and are ever willing when the next one is put in your path.

My Mom is owned by a feral cat named Freddy, who sports an eternal bitch face. Mom doesn't understand cats, and therefore Freddy runs her life. She is learning. She will learn.

Very much enjoyed your tale and wish you all the best. Your property appears to be a cat's dream. If you want to fritter away a few minutes, you might be amused by my tale of Catcarnation. Cheers!

a reply to: billxam

Cleophas looks very sweet and well taken care of!!!

Thank God there are people like you out there. Hats off. If one of my cats got away, I like to think that a caring stranger like yourself might find them and take them in

He will take to domestic life just give it time

Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH