This morning when I went to feed Solo as I have been doing now for several weeks. He came up out of the culvert and stayed just within arms reach of me. He was headbumping a nearby bush and I could just see him thinking- “I wanna headbump her….I wanna headbump her…..” So, I reached out with my fist clenched while looking the other way, and he ran off. I put his food out and went back home.

Tonight as I drove up to the fence, he ran out of the bushes and stood waiting for me at the end of the parking curb. I went over to what was turning out to be our special bush and poured his food- he was behind me. I suddenly felt him gently nudge my back! I reached out my hand to the side and snapped my fingers calling to him in his special call- he came over to me and headbumped my hand! I took a chance and started to pet him and he went totally nuts. He couldn’t get enough of this good stuff and even turned his scrawny belly up to me for a good rub. It was wonderful.

We had a bit of a love-fest and I stood up to go back to my car and get him fresh water- and he followed me! I opened up my car door, he didn’t run- he just stood there. I had no traps with me, no carriers, no cardboard box, nothing. I stood there for just a minute then knelt down, tapped my passenger seat, snapped my fingers and he jumped right in! I left the door wide open and he rolled over, looked at me then hopped down.

I went and poured his water, and again as I was going back to my car, he followed me. This time, I opened the rear car door, snapped my fingers and he hopped in. Before he could change his mind, I swung the door closed (thinking to myself “- what have I done?) I was at least 15 minutes from the house, I had a strange cat trapped in my car and I was outside the car. He just sat there- so I quickly walked around and got in and he didn’t try to escape.

When I started the car, that’s when the fun started- he began to race around the car- going along the dash and the the rear of my car. I just talked to him softly and finally he landed on the passenger seat growling at me.

I grabbed the scruff of his neck, and started petting him with my free fingers and that is how we got home. He laid there almost the whole time, except about the last few minutes he got squirmy. When we got home, I hissy-grabbed him, supported his rear legs and walked him in the house past all my cats and put him outside on our porch!

I have since dosed him with profender (a topical wormer and anti flea med) he has eaten, he has water and lots of places to hide and I have visited him several times. He can’t get out of the porch and he will come out and see me after he thinks about it.

I have a friend with a soft spot for mackeral tabbies, so I called her and she said if I continue to work with him for about 3 weeks, she will take him then. She is in the process of building a cat enclosure off her house.

So, Solo is safe. He doesn’t have to worry about cars speeding around a near-empty parking lot, reckless teenagers or mean people who want to hurt him. He will get neutered soon. I am tapped right now so I can’t get him done right away- but until then, he will continue to be a porch kitty. he is so so so thin- he needs good groceries. I will post photos tomorrow, I just want him to decompress before sticking a camera in his handsome face.

Color him safe- and color me stunned !
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