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- May 11, 2015
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I wrote a few lines a while back about a feral calico cat that I named "Callie"...I know, real imaginative name there! When Callie first showed up, I would sometimes catch a glimpse of him during the late night hours...if he saw ANY movement through the windows, he was gone in a flash. I set food out and he began to eat it after it sat for a while and he was sure nobody was around. Callie was pals with another stray/feral cat that was hanging around, who turned out to be an ex-pet as he was fixed and pretty well socialized, as well as being black and very big/muscular. The black cat, who my daughter named Binks, is now a regular resident of the household and spends his time between the indoors and outdoors...constantly!
Anyhow, Callie slowly became less skittish but I never thought I would get to touch him. A few weeks ago he allowed me to pet him while he was eating, although he hissed a lot, which was a lack of socialization I think as he hisses while getting petted, but doesn't seem to mind it and has never been aggressive. The other day Callie was outside waiting on his breakfast when I went outside and sat down on the wall near where I feed him. To my surprise, he walked down to me and rubbed up against my legs and wanted me to pet him, which I did. He hissed, but seemed to enjoy the rubbing and the head butting. Callie is still pretty skittish and won't allow anyone else to pet him, but it seems he has turned the corner and is a pretty nice cat. I feel privlidged to have a male calico, after having a buff female show up ten years ago.
I know that there are many who aren't too impressed with being able to befriend a true feral cat, but although it took a few years, I think even the wildest cats can be semi domesticated. I am also having a hard time changing my habit of calling Callie a "she", as I thought he was a she until very recently when he greeted me with his tail up and you could easily tell he was a tom. I'd love to keep Callie inside this winter but don't know if she would be calm enough for it...at the very least I'm going to try to make him a shelter and get him used to using it.
Thanks for reading about my experiences with Callie. He is getting friendlier every day even without a food bribe! Its strange, but the cats seem to know where to come, I've lived there for 45 years and I never saw stray or feral cats until the last ten years. Not too many, but the ones that were around seem to end up sticking around, adding to my growing brood of kitties. Callie makes 5. 2 Shelter cats (Moose and Archie) and 3 stray/ferals (Biinks, Salome, and introducing Callie!)
Jim
Anyhow, Callie slowly became less skittish but I never thought I would get to touch him. A few weeks ago he allowed me to pet him while he was eating, although he hissed a lot, which was a lack of socialization I think as he hisses while getting petted, but doesn't seem to mind it and has never been aggressive. The other day Callie was outside waiting on his breakfast when I went outside and sat down on the wall near where I feed him. To my surprise, he walked down to me and rubbed up against my legs and wanted me to pet him, which I did. He hissed, but seemed to enjoy the rubbing and the head butting. Callie is still pretty skittish and won't allow anyone else to pet him, but it seems he has turned the corner and is a pretty nice cat. I feel privlidged to have a male calico, after having a buff female show up ten years ago.
I know that there are many who aren't too impressed with being able to befriend a true feral cat, but although it took a few years, I think even the wildest cats can be semi domesticated. I am also having a hard time changing my habit of calling Callie a "she", as I thought he was a she until very recently when he greeted me with his tail up and you could easily tell he was a tom. I'd love to keep Callie inside this winter but don't know if she would be calm enough for it...at the very least I'm going to try to make him a shelter and get him used to using it.
Thanks for reading about my experiences with Callie. He is getting friendlier every day even without a food bribe! Its strange, but the cats seem to know where to come, I've lived there for 45 years and I never saw stray or feral cats until the last ten years. Not too many, but the ones that were around seem to end up sticking around, adding to my growing brood of kitties. Callie makes 5. 2 Shelter cats (Moose and Archie) and 3 stray/ferals (Biinks, Salome, and introducing Callie!)
Jim
