Like me our 3 little cats can't wait for the spring. The birds and chipmunks are back running around in the backyard and when we open that patio door, our cats are lined up waiting to say hello. This year turned out to be a little different. Around May a number of different cats started coming to visit us. And then our cat, particularly Cleo would disappear for hours at a time. Friends would see our cats and then these different cats wandering around the neighbourhood together. One of these cats was quite young and very vocal. He would come up and meow and meow, not quietly either he was also very LOUD and very friendly and not scared of our older cats at all. Well the rule was no feeding the other cats. Which meant watching David like a hawk, I was pretty sure he would sneak him treats. 3 is enough, we did suggesst that David take him home.
Along came August and off we went on holiday. Our cats were locked inside for a week. They were not happy. Ilse our neighbour came and fed them but didn't feel comfortable letting them out, so they learned to cope.
After being away for a week, we were all excited about seeing the cats and they were so excited to see us. Who am I kidding. They were a little standoffish to say the least and as soon as that door opened they were gone. And there on the deck was this little gray cat. Looking quite skinny and forlorn but still just as yakky. This is when we realized that this little cat was sneaking in the window and eating the cat food. He had now gone a week without food. So out comes a bowl of food, he wolves it down. For the next 3 weeks he appeared every morning and evening for his bowl of food, usually in the morning he was sitting comfortably on the lounge chair waiting for us to get up. Now and again he would let us rub him. Then I hear squeals of excitement as he let Rachel pick him up and just cuddled into her arms.
The discussion about what to do with him went on and on. The weather is now changing, he started coming in at night when it was raining but couldn't settle, although he did steal the main chair in the family room and the other cats all let him away with it. He now recognizes the sound of the can opening, the crackel the treat bag makes and the sound of dry food being filled up.
The decision was made to take him down to the vets. I get the cage, Andrew gets Oliver (yes we named him after Oliver Twist). Oliver sees the cage, picture Garfield with all 4 legs sticking out horizontally and squirming like crazy. Andrew gets two legs in, the other two won't go, then Oliver goes limp, Andrew relaxes and Oliver bolts, gone for the rest of the day.
Another 2 weeks go buy and we decide to try again, this time we get him in the cage, he is tossing himself around inside this cage. But we persevere and off to the vet we go. Well Oliver is 18 months old, no fleas, tics or problems, a very healthy little cat and no CHIP, so no owner that we can find. Out comes the needle and we get him up to date with his shots.
Life goes on with Oliver deciding what to do, needless to say most nights he is inside now, he insists on getting fed first, so that he can finish off everyone elses food.
I guess we have passed his adoption test, wonder what he will think when he gets fixed next month.
