The wind picked up scattering the dirt at my feet. I peered up at the sky noticing angry black clouds beginning to gather overhead. Soon the rain would begin in earnest. Brushing the remainder of loose hair from my horse Racer, I glanced out by the creek. The ferns near the bank were rustling vigorously. Suddenly the fronds parted. Out stepped a cat carrying an object in its mouth. At first, I thought the cat might have a large field mouse in her mouth. But as she neared, I could tell she was carrying a kitten. I had never seen this cat before, but there she was heading across our pasture with a purpose. I could see her distinct gray and white pattern of her swirled coat. As she passed me, she started to run, heading directly for our shop a few yards away. Startled, I dropped the currycomb and followed her. She darted through the cat door located on the side of our knife shop. By the time I arrived at the shop door, she had returned out the cat door for a quick dash back to the creek. I opened the door to find my husband sitting in his shop chair with an amazed look on his face a beige-and-white kitten on his lap!
“Do you know her? Mike asked, his hand gently stroking the kitten. I looked down at the little bundle of fur that was frantically searching for mom’s milk bar. Grabbing a clean shop rag lying nearby, I wrapped the little one up securely tucking the kitten against my shoulder. “I have never seen her before. Looks like you are a daddy!” I added with a grin.
Amazed, he just stared at me. We both heard the flap of the cat door open. The cat again jumped up into Mike’s lap, this time leaving a grey-and-white kitten who favored her mom, before she jumped down and fled out the door. “What the heck?” Mike muttered, as he picked up the kitten and held it up. “Who is this cat?”
The strange cat made five trips from the creek to the shop; leaving behind on my husband’s lap each time a kitten. On the fifth trip, she laid down in the large cardboard box we had arranged for the babies. Stuffed with clean, soft rags, the box held enough room for the whole family. As the kittens began to seek her milk bar and find her teats, we picked up the box, family and all and carried the family into the house. I put them upstairs in the cat room, leaving food and water and several litter pans nearby for the queen. Going downstairs, I shut the specially-designed door at the foot of the stairs. The chicken wire door would keep the other cats away from the new family.
A few hours later, “Fern” (this is what we christened her) started creating a ruckus at the door. She wanted out, and by the insistence in her voice, she wanted out NOW! Mike and I talked about this new development deciding after a few minutes of her meows becoming frantic that we best let her out. It wouldn’t be the first time we had to raise bottle babies if it came to that. I opened up the door. Ignoring the resident cats, Fern quickly navigated herself around them, racing down the hallway and out the cat door. I followed her to the outside steps and watched her streaking back to the creek in the rain. Not knowing if we would see her again, I stopped at the outside freezer, grabbing containers of KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) and a bag of bottles. If she didn’t come back, the kittens would need to be bottle fed.
Sitting at the table, discussing this strange turn of events, we heard a commotion at the cat door. Norton, my tuxedo alpha cat stood by the entrance growling. I walked over and picked him up. I put him in another room and shut the door. Returning to the kitchen I noticed Fern had come back. In her mouth, she had a huge gray-and-black striped kitten. He was so large, she couldn’t carry him so she dragged him! Gently, I knelt down, talking softly, I was able to relieve her of her burden. Cradling him in my arms, she followed me upstairs, keeping an eye on my precious cargo the entire time. I put the kitten down gently with his siblings, she jumped in with her new family and they began to feed. I could tell she was exhausted. I left the room.
Two days later when I went upstairs in the morning to do a check on the family, I found Fern lying very still outside of the box. She wasn’t moving. Fern had died sometime in the night. She must have known that her kittens would be safe with us. How did she know?
Cats use scent to signal other cats. Cat urine can be a directional aide, a secret message, an invitation to party, or a warning to other cats to stay away, the territory is claimed NO Visitors Allowed! When you start to feed a feral or stray cat outside on your property, not interfering with them in any fashion, they become comfortable. It is not uncommon to watch cats after they have eaten their fill, to saunter over to a clump of bushes, raise their tail up, shake their rear vigorously and spray the leaves. This spray alerts other cats that the area is safe. Much like the hobos, who at the turn of the century would make a primitive drawing of a smiling cat on the walls of homes where they found food. The scent (like the sign) attracts other cats into the feeding area. Pretty soon, one cat can turn into ten.
We started bottle feeding the six kittens who were added to our extended family. Now fifteen stray cats were inhabiting our home.
Over the past twenty years since I have been rescuing stray and feral cats, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful creatures! My journey has been incredible, heartbreaking and rewarding. The lessons my cats have taught me will stay with me a lifetime. The same way as every cat that graced my life remains in my heart forever. I miss them all the ones adopted out into loving homes and the ones who have passed over the bridge. They are missed, and they are remembered.
What a wonderful story! Word is definitely out about you!
Beautiful 🙂
I had to cry when I read your story as it brought back memories of the small (only about 6 mos. old) kitty came out of the woods when I was calling for our then one and only cat. She was starving for attention and food and not very healthy. I took this darling into the vet for a check up and found out she was pregnant. Missy was her name and she was my best friend. It was a joy to see her give birth to 6 healthy kittens and the stages she went through to raise them. I was broken hearted when I knew I had to find homes for them. We ended up keeping two and then had 4 cats. Unfortunately, our favorite mommy disappeared one early evening when her babies were just a year old. That was tramatic. We live in the country where the racoons and coyotes roam. We decided to fence in our whole back yard to keep our remaining cats safe. Since then, we have had a feral cat come around once a week. How do all your feral cats get along? Our cats are fixed and the feral one is not. We now have taken in one more cat – had him fixed and would like him to be just an outdoor cat but the one that comes around once a week seems to “have it in for the one we are keeping and always picks a fight”. Is there a way we can show affection to both without the fighting? How do you do it?
I’m actually asked that question a lot. It is hard to answer really, because what I do, it just comes to me. I met a woman some years back. She was homeless and living with feral cats. They had found refuge in a concrete structure, and although the cats were so wild that no one could come close to them, because she chose to live among them, they began to trust her. She watched them live, survive and also die. Now, she is one of the most effective cat rescuers I know and she is no longer homeless.
So for me, what I do, comes with choosing to live with them- except bringing them into my environment which they are not used to. The outside enclosue helps a great deal. They have the option of living there, or running into the tunnels and coming in the house.
A visitor to my home awhile back commented that the interior of my enclosure is ugly. At first, it hurt my feelers, but in looking at it, I have to agree. We dragged logs and limbs inside, set them up for ramps and posts, we used lumber from the side of our barn to set up observation posts. There is no decorating flair out there. No rock walls, ponds or waterfalls. No carpet, no soft beds. It is rugged and wild and the cats thrive out there.
So I think it is just that God has given me gift of understanding these strays and ferals. I am able to read their moods most of the time, not always-and I have failed them over the years. Missing when they are sick or injured, misreading their actions into something I understand and thus forgetting that cats react from instinct and so the lessons continue daily.
Right now, I am at capacity. I need to get my numbers down, but the last two adoptions I did- well the people snowed me good and the cats, now back with me had been placed in danger. For that reason, I am not anxious to adopt right at the moment.
I will begin sharing here in this blog some of my methods developed over the years. All I want in the end, is for more cats to come in from the cold- and more people to have the tools to understand why they behave so differently when they do find themselves inside for the first time in their lives.
My other website Kitten-rescue accomplishes the same thing. A process developed over time to bring orphaned kittens to health and socialization, learned over many years of making mistakes and just keeping everything in perspective and plodding forward.
I have a colony of 18 cats that I have been feeding for the past 8 years. Most of them are fixed. The one female that no one could catch, just gave birth. I cannot find her kittens. Any advice on where I could look ?
Honestly, unless you are incredibly lucky, you won’t find them. Your best bet is to set up a safe feeding area for the mom (one that is not out in the open, but secluded behind bushes or beside a building with cover. Feed every day always at the same times so the mom cat could set her watch by you. Provide her with at least 5 feedings a day and if that isn’t possible, you can make a bulk feeder easily with a small plastic trashcan and a large tray. Give her kitten chow, dry cat food, canned cat food and KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) as well as providing her with fresh water. The kittens will drain her and she needs her strength. Once she knows you can count on you, after she has weaned the kittens, she will bring them to you. Then you can capture the kittens and the mom and get mom fixed.
The feeder is easy to make. Just be sure the lid is secure on whatever you use. I generally use 30 gallon trash cans. Cut a small hole near the front of the container (towards the bottom) You want a hole big enough for the kibble to come out of and also large enough, a paw can get in and out without getting caught. Use a water heater drain pan as the dish. Set the container in the middle of the pan, fill the container with dry kibble and then just leave it be. Yes, you will be feeding other cats, wildlife etc…but that is what happens anytime you feed feral or stray cats.
I have been a reader for a long time, but am a first time commenter. I just wanted to let you know that this has been / is my favorite post of yours! Keep up the great work and I?ll keep on checking back.
This is a wonderful story!
I myself unintentionally became involved with feral cats. All my time was consumed while taking care of my elderly mother. I have a cottage with an old detached garage on the premises, where I stored my yard equipment. It became invaded by squirrels, one of whom growled at at me and behaved fairly threateningly. I was put in a position where I was almost afraid to use my equipment. Then one day, I opened the door of the garage to see two glowing pairs of eyes. I smiled at two cats, obviously a pair. I let them stay in the garage as I felt they were doing a “job” keeping it squirrel free, and deserved the lodging. My mother passed away and I began to repair and repaint the garage the garage. I put a pet door in one side, and worried that they might not use it. My fears were quickly dispelled.
I do not attempt to infringe on their lives by expecting them to interact with me. I simply feed them and provide lodging, and allow them to be the free spirits that they are. I enjoy them at a distance and appreciate their individuality. Now I have gone through several generations of “barn cats” earning their keep preventing unwanted destructive pests from taking over my garage !
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