I just can't beleive it.....I know cats are here and there all the time. This one I expected to be transient at best. In May of 2010 she turned up with 4 recently weaned kittens that she was still not so patiently teaching to hunt and ready to have fly the nest. She wasn't in poor health, niether were they. For ferile city strays they were VERY well off. We live in a densely packed residential neighborhood with a lot of old Victorian mansions converted into multi-family housing. There are always new strays abondonned, and we are suckers. I don't think she was recently abandonned because she was extremely street aware and wouldn't come near us. It took a while to tame her down to come near a food dish with us nearby. The kittens were another story altogether.
Eventually she chilled out and got accustomed to regular meals and semi-indoor life.....provided we let her roam when she wanted. And as soon as we could pick her up, I had her spayed. I couldn't have unending kittens on my tiny property. The stray kittens all got fixed as well.
For 10 months she lived in and out of the house. Mostly inside as winter got worse. By January we had another cat on our hands that was porky enough to need weight control. She was a solid 10 pounds and growing.
Sometime in February the weather warmed and we had a run of good days.....she wanted out and didn't come back for regular meals. It has been nearly 2 months and no sign of J.A.C. (Just Another Calico, on account that 5 of the 7 cats we have are calico by accident)
Tonight a friend of ours was out on the porch and a friendly calico came up and started yowling at him and wanted in the house. At first he was going to let it in and then thought it might not be one of ours.......low and behold it was our lost JAC! Barely a sliver of her old self....her hind quarters are sunk in, her hip and backbones show with fine distinction. Her cheeks are sallow and she weighs only about 4 pounds. She has never boon fond of "strangers". Specifically our friend on the porch...nor has she liked the other pets of the household much....but at the moment she is LOVING hugs and doesn't want to be anywhere but close!!! Anything warm is fair game.
We are so glad to know she is alive. All this time I was imagining her squashed under a dumpster or something. She is such a character and has brought us a wonderful brood of kids. We missed the imprinting age on her kittens, but despite that, they have NEVER taken a pass at our Silkies.....And they have 24/7 easy access to them. As a matter of a fact, Tulla will climb in the pen and eat and play "tag" with my girls.....and she follows them around the yard like a shepherd. JAC just doesn't eat them, and that is more than I expected from a skilled hunter.
Eventually she chilled out and got accustomed to regular meals and semi-indoor life.....provided we let her roam when she wanted. And as soon as we could pick her up, I had her spayed. I couldn't have unending kittens on my tiny property. The stray kittens all got fixed as well.
For 10 months she lived in and out of the house. Mostly inside as winter got worse. By January we had another cat on our hands that was porky enough to need weight control. She was a solid 10 pounds and growing.
Sometime in February the weather warmed and we had a run of good days.....she wanted out and didn't come back for regular meals. It has been nearly 2 months and no sign of J.A.C. (Just Another Calico, on account that 5 of the 7 cats we have are calico by accident)
Tonight a friend of ours was out on the porch and a friendly calico came up and started yowling at him and wanted in the house. At first he was going to let it in and then thought it might not be one of ours.......low and behold it was our lost JAC! Barely a sliver of her old self....her hind quarters are sunk in, her hip and backbones show with fine distinction. Her cheeks are sallow and she weighs only about 4 pounds. She has never boon fond of "strangers". Specifically our friend on the porch...nor has she liked the other pets of the household much....but at the moment she is LOVING hugs and doesn't want to be anywhere but close!!! Anything warm is fair game.
We are so glad to know she is alive. All this time I was imagining her squashed under a dumpster or something. She is such a character and has brought us a wonderful brood of kids. We missed the imprinting age on her kittens, but despite that, they have NEVER taken a pass at our Silkies.....And they have 24/7 easy access to them. As a matter of a fact, Tulla will climb in the pen and eat and play "tag" with my girls.....and she follows them around the yard like a shepherd. JAC just doesn't eat them, and that is more than I expected from a skilled hunter.
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