Pining for company
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 4:29 pm
Hi - sorry this is a bit of a long story
5 weeks ago, a gorgeous white tabby appeared under a bush in our garden looking rather sad. After a bit of coaxing, she came out for some food and water. This continued for a couple of days before we saw that she was disappearing into a neighbor's outhouse.
Our neighbor tells us her name is Mia and has been sleeping rough for over 12 months. She was originally rescued by another neighbor across the road when she was 8 weeks old and born to a feral cat. She has been chipped, vaccinated and neutered.
Our next door neighbor already has 2 house cats and is not prepared to adopt Mia but has been feeding her on a regular basis. The neighbor across the road tells us that Mia was the last to be separated from her Mum - who kept taking her back - and the last to pay a visit to the vets!
Unfortunately, Mia did not settle in her adopted home and left when another cat arrived and has been sleeping rough ever since, although occasionally returning home for a brief visit but wont go into the house.
The original adopters have given us permission to adopt Mia - if we can.
Over the past 5 weeks, Mia has been spending more and more time with us and now comes in on a regular basis and eats in our kitchen twice a day. Despite a comfy bed being provided she continues to return to the outhouse to sleep. However progress is being made and she is now very comfortable with us - walks around the house - plays with toys begs for our dinner (which she does not get, but has cat treats instead)
On several occasion over the past couple of weeks, a male un-neutered tabby has been helping himself to leftovers and walks into our living room licks his lips - as to say thank you - and walks out again!
Last Wednesday Mia was sitting on an outside cupboard when we got up waiting for breakfast but on opening the door she did not come in and sat away from the house on the patio meowing. Despite putting her bowl of food down she refused to come in but was pacing up and down meowing like crazy.
We went out to her and saw Tabby sitting on the wall so got a bowl of food for him and they both settled down and feasted - Tabby again finish off what Mia did not eat.
Same again on Thursday although Mi actually came into the kitchen while Tabby ate outside.
No sign of Tabby on Friday morning but he turned up - very late at night - and was fed.
Now to the main point of my message!
On Saturday evening, Tabby was sitting on our garden wall and Mia ran up to him and they "embraced". Tabby then jumped down and went down the entry. Mia cried - and I mean cried and was very distraught. Tabby crossed the road and Mia was sat at the entry gate and was clearly upset but did not follow.
I have never seen behavior like this in a cat before. Mia's insistence that we fed Tabby on Wednesday and Thursday followed by the extreme distress on Saturday leads me to think that there is some kind of bond between the two.
Having asked further question from neighbors, no one knows anything about Tabby or where he has come from.
The only thing I can think of is that he is Mia's brother who remained hidden when she and her other siblings were rescued well over 2 years ago and they have managed to keep some kind of contact since. Mia is clearly protective of this cat and wants him to be around.
I am as certain as I can be that Tabby is feral and has rarely had contact with humans. He is not as timid as Mia is though and seems to be able to stand up for himself, especially as there is a number of other males in the area.
If anyone has seen anything similar or can explain this behavior I would love to hear from them!
Regards
Dave
5 weeks ago, a gorgeous white tabby appeared under a bush in our garden looking rather sad. After a bit of coaxing, she came out for some food and water. This continued for a couple of days before we saw that she was disappearing into a neighbor's outhouse.
Our neighbor tells us her name is Mia and has been sleeping rough for over 12 months. She was originally rescued by another neighbor across the road when she was 8 weeks old and born to a feral cat. She has been chipped, vaccinated and neutered.
Our next door neighbor already has 2 house cats and is not prepared to adopt Mia but has been feeding her on a regular basis. The neighbor across the road tells us that Mia was the last to be separated from her Mum - who kept taking her back - and the last to pay a visit to the vets!
Unfortunately, Mia did not settle in her adopted home and left when another cat arrived and has been sleeping rough ever since, although occasionally returning home for a brief visit but wont go into the house.
The original adopters have given us permission to adopt Mia - if we can.
Over the past 5 weeks, Mia has been spending more and more time with us and now comes in on a regular basis and eats in our kitchen twice a day. Despite a comfy bed being provided she continues to return to the outhouse to sleep. However progress is being made and she is now very comfortable with us - walks around the house - plays with toys begs for our dinner (which she does not get, but has cat treats instead)
On several occasion over the past couple of weeks, a male un-neutered tabby has been helping himself to leftovers and walks into our living room licks his lips - as to say thank you - and walks out again!
Last Wednesday Mia was sitting on an outside cupboard when we got up waiting for breakfast but on opening the door she did not come in and sat away from the house on the patio meowing. Despite putting her bowl of food down she refused to come in but was pacing up and down meowing like crazy.
We went out to her and saw Tabby sitting on the wall so got a bowl of food for him and they both settled down and feasted - Tabby again finish off what Mia did not eat.
Same again on Thursday although Mi actually came into the kitchen while Tabby ate outside.
No sign of Tabby on Friday morning but he turned up - very late at night - and was fed.
Now to the main point of my message!
On Saturday evening, Tabby was sitting on our garden wall and Mia ran up to him and they "embraced". Tabby then jumped down and went down the entry. Mia cried - and I mean cried and was very distraught. Tabby crossed the road and Mia was sat at the entry gate and was clearly upset but did not follow.
I have never seen behavior like this in a cat before. Mia's insistence that we fed Tabby on Wednesday and Thursday followed by the extreme distress on Saturday leads me to think that there is some kind of bond between the two.
Having asked further question from neighbors, no one knows anything about Tabby or where he has come from.
The only thing I can think of is that he is Mia's brother who remained hidden when she and her other siblings were rescued well over 2 years ago and they have managed to keep some kind of contact since. Mia is clearly protective of this cat and wants him to be around.
I am as certain as I can be that Tabby is feral and has rarely had contact with humans. He is not as timid as Mia is though and seems to be able to stand up for himself, especially as there is a number of other males in the area.
If anyone has seen anything similar or can explain this behavior I would love to hear from them!
Regards
Dave