Callie...Come Home!!

[jmarkitell]

For the last two years I have been working on befriending a male calico that showed up two summers ago. The most he would do was to hiss, which he did for all occasions...happy, sad, hungry...everything got a hiss. Over the summer I got to the point that he let me touch him and even would enjoy being petted...to some degree. He would come when he would hear the kitchen door open up and would be waiting on his goodies that he was getting used to.

  About 2 weeks ago Callie went for a vacation but hasn't yet returned. I know that males tend to wander and Callie is still intact, so I'm hoping he comes back. He took the winter off and disappeared for about 4 months, but he came back in April. I know there isn't anything I can do at this point, but I wanted to make myself feel better by writing something about Callie. He purrs when he is being petted, but will interrupt his purring to let out a couple of hisses. A little bit of confusion from poor socialization, I'm guessing...but he is a friendly cat and not aggressive at all, just continuously hungry!

Jim 

 

 

[ravenseye]

I'm so happy that you wrote about Callie. There's no telling whether you'll see him again (I'm still waiting for a couple that are still on what I hope is a very long walk) but there's certainly no denying that you and Callie are now very different for your friendship to each other. Callie eats and loves well. Keep us up to date!

 

[lesliel76]

Hoping you see Callie again someday. Since hes not fixed I think therea a good chance he waunder off to look for a mate or saw a pretty kitty.

If he comes back it might be good to get him fixed. This will help his want to venture off. It will also help the ferel population and from any new ones showing up for you to take care of.

I am missing two of my kitties that were the babies of a ferel I had been caring for. They are fixed but still hoping they just went on a long adventure. Hope Callie and everyone is safe and happy!

 

[jmarkitell]

       Every night I have been looking outside to see if Callie has resumed her spot on the picnic tables, but he hasn't been around. Today, on 9-11, the day was very damp and foggy...a total opposite of the weather we had on THE 9-11, when it was a beautiful fall day. For some reason I was hoping Callie would re-appear, but a look outside revealed no Callie.

   My latest feral, Binks, has been living with us for about two years and showed up about the same time as Callie did a few years ago. Binks wanted to go outside badly this morning, but I was going to be gone all day and it was an ugly day weather-wise and didn't want to let him out. Finally Binks bugged me so badly that I let him out...and Callie popped out from under the table!!

  He came over to me to get petted, which I was sort of surprised as he is very skittish and doesn't let people get too close, with the exception of me, my daughter, and my wife to a lesser degree! I rewarded him with a huge bowl of Friskies wet canned food as well as some dry food for later on. I'm so happy that Callie has returned and wanted to be petted!! I know that he probably ran off for a few days for a well deserved sugaree, but I'm a bit nervous about getting him fixed until he is a little more trusting.

   In summary, even though this is a bad day for celebrating anything, I want to thank everyone who has sent positive vibes my way...Callie is BACK!! I'm happy as a pig in a poke now that Callie has returned! He didn't even hiss at me today!!

Jim 

 

[jmarkitell]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Callie finally came home...on 9-11! He is very friendly and practically comes running when he sees me and literally demands to be petted. He head butts the other black cat, Binks, when they get together and does the same to my leg. On a somewhat disturbing note, when I went inside after petting Callie outside, when I walked inside and my leg was going inside, Callie took a little swipe at it. I thought he was acting up because of my female (fixed) on the other side of the doorway. Today, after a session of head butting (or bunting, for the purists out there!), rubbing, and a heavy duty petting session, when I walked inside he took another swipe at me, snagging me with a claw point and drawing blood. It wasn't really aggressive and his ears weren't back or other signs of being disturbed...it was almost like he was mad because I was leaving.

   As I mentioned before, I have never seen Callie mean or aggressive with anyone, although he is feral and I really don't know him until relatively recently, when he finally allowed us to touch him after being elusive for 2 or more years. I'm going to try to catch him and get him fixed once he becomes more trusting...but has anyone experienced a cat that doesn't want to quit being petted and swat at you when you stop? I'm attaching the first decent picture I have of Callie...maybe I should rename him Calvin!

P.S.   I managed to put a dose of Revolution on Callie about 3 weeks ago, right before he ran off. When he returned his coat was much softer and his eyes weren't crusty from fleas and other bugs. He seems to have more energy as well...maybe from getting rid of the worms!

Jim 

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• jmarkitell
• Sep 12, 2015