I have mentioned our feral cats before. We’ve had several move in during the four years we have lived at Happy Acres, especially after our outside cat Scout died. The latest one is Midnight, a black male. I’ve worked for months to get close to him. This morning he finally consented to have breakfast with me.
Midnight eating breakfast (click on any image to enlarge)
I brought my coffee, and my camera.
coffee, unleaded
And he brought his girlfriend.
Midnight's friend came along
I had met her before, by herself, and with Midnight. I am assuming she is a ‘she’, since they are getting along so well. I doubt two males would be that chummy. And he is definitely a male. I have been close enough to determine that.
friend comes closer
She is a little more wary even than Midnight, but she finally came closer to me. They sat about 10 feet away, him eating, me sipping coffee and taking photos. I never saw her eat, but she was rubbing on Midnight occasionally. He seemed to tolerate it quite well.
Misty and Midnight
She is a pretty gray tabby cat. I think we should call her Misty. That has a nice sound to it. We had a great impromptu breakfast today. I leave food out for them every day, and each morning it is all gone. They were waiting for me this morning, waiting for me to bring food. They were also waiting one day last week, though I didn’t have the time to stay that day.
breakfast is over
When Midnight was finished eating, they left. I watched them slowly walk back behind our neighbor’s building. I may never get any closer to them than I did today, but I will keep trying.
Midnight and Misty walk off in the sunrise
Will our Feline Duo stay together, maybe raise a family? Will I ever get closer to them? Stay tuned as the saga continues here at Happy Acres!
How exciting. Is there really a more satisfying way to spend breakfast then that?
It was a great way to start the day. I am a lucky guy!
These 2 cats could reproduce to many cats in a year–at one time Glenda C. in Kentucky had 22 feral cats!! She finally had to catch some of the males in a trap and they were neutered but that costs $$$$. They never seem to get the number down to 10 or so cats.
When I lived in TN if you caught a feral cat and took it in to be neutered or spayed they would do it for free and have you return it to it’s home.
I would love to be able to get them spayed and neutered. I am reluctant to set traps for them, for fear it would make them even wilder. I am not sure they are feral, they could have been mistreated badly enough to fear humans.
One of my kitties is formerly feral. After 10 years, Dan can now occasionally touch her tail. I am allowed to touch her when she wants, usually at bedtime, and often in the mornings she will visit me as I get ready for work in the bathroom. Good luck with Midnight and Misty, they are lovely.
Cats are all unique, you know? I have high hopes they will eventually make up with me. I have lots of patience!
Yes, I can tell you are a very patient person!! I do not have that quality myself. I hope the cats eventually come around to you like you hope.
The act of caring for other souls in need always seems to ultimately be rewarded. If nothing else from the gladness it brings to our own hearts. Those two are a beautiful pair. It would be better for all if they were neutered but short of that… just feeding them is a true kindness that I hope is returned to you in doubles.
Those two are cuties.
I think trapping the female and having her spayed is kinder than letting her raise litter after litter of kittens. Being perpetually pregnant makes for a brutal and short life.
So true. Just being outside makes for a brutal and short life for a cat. But trapping cats is not a business I want to get into at this time. I’ve taken in more cats than I can count in my lifetime (upwards of thirty), and they’ve all been spayed and neutered. In many cases I found homes for them when I had too many. Both our inside cats are rescued cats for that matter. But I’ll leave the cat trapping to someone else with more time and energy.