It actually started with Casper, a small black cat that was left behind when the neighbors moved... My parents and I already had a dog and a cat, we 'had no room' as we said. Casper was sweet, he was loving and gosh did he crave attention. I am not sure why he came to us, small, malnurished, with a collar growing in to his fur. We could not help it, we brought him in. But he did not want to stay. At the time we did not know about TNR, we were ignorant, now 37 cats later, we know much. Back to the story of Orangie. Casper came one day with a female, she was scared, shy and apprehensive, she would not be touched, or even approched, but day by day we fed her and gave her water, we all talked to her, trying to get her to see that we were safe. Casper continued to bring home females, and the huts got full, th Kitten were aboundent and we were feeling overwhelmed. We learned of TNR. All but Orangie we caught, we spayed and nuetered, got shots, tried to tame just a little. But there was Orangie, to smart for the traps, to scare to be picked up, she was afraid of us. This winter after four years of chasing Orangie to get her in to TNR, she walked in to the house!!! She just walked in like she lived there, so we caged her and made the appointment. Our "Breed queen" was finally fixed. she had so many ltters that her body was falling apart. The vet actually said that had we not gotten her in the next litter would have surely killed her. (he also said she looked to be about two years old and was shocked when we said we had been tring to catch her for 4 years.) Orangie Was a feral, born to a wild cat, not just a free roamer, or a stray, she had never been anyones pet. After the surgery we took her home to the healing room. (A room designated in my house for the recovery prosess after the cats have surgery) however, now she loves!! She loves us, our other animals, and even some close friends that come by the house. She has changed so much. She is now one of our group of indoor cats for we can not bear to put her back out since she has gotten so friendly. I just wanted to say that this Feral, was given a chance and is now on her way to a furever home. So I think it is possible with time, (alot of it- about three yrs) and love some ferals will come to know and love a human touch. This does not mean all, maybe we just have a way with cats at my house, this is the foiurth cat we have accomplished this process with.
