Stanky, our feral cat

[Ewadun]

My girlfriend stopped some boys from drowning kittens in a lake. The kittens were barely a month old and their Mother was a feral cat. She lived mostly in neighborhood garbage cans. My girlfriend, who is always saving animals, brought these kittens home (couldn't find the mother) and coerced my daughter into taking a look at them. Wouldn't you know, my daughter just had to have one? After all, he could keep my other male cat, Booboo, company right? I caved in.

Stanky, who got his name obviously because he had a body odor problem and that is what he best  responded to,  was a living terror at first. Even after being neutered. He refused to be held, except by my daughter. He tried to live in our garbage can. He climbed up and walked over everything. Always on the prowl. Always hungry. Always attacking our older cat, Booboo. For the first time, I now understood why my husband said that he didn't want anything else in the house that didn't have a social security number!

Stanky is now 2 years old and much calmer now. My daughter has literally loved him into a much calmer state. When she comes home from school, he waits patiently by the door for her. Sometimes I get quite jealous at the way he pats her face, allows himself to be cuddled like a newborn, and sleeps peacefully in her arms. Surprisingly, his personality adds dimension to my household. Booboo tolerates Stanky's antics and seems to favor me over my daughter. Guess us old people get along better. LOL

This is my first time as a cat owner and I now can't imagine my life without our furballs. I initially thought I wasn't a cat person, but actually I am. They act just like me: sometimes they wanna be bothered and sometimes they don't.  They also serve as my barometer. Whenever I'm ill or depressed, they automatically come climb in my bed (without fighting for a change) and cuddle with me. How sweet!

 

[friendlyvirgo47]

Nov. 18, 2009 at 11:41 AM

what a lovely story. i love my furbabies also. i rescued 3 of mine. i have five furbabies.i got two kittens from a cousin,and the other one kitten on a job early in the morning near a busy street.IT was lost and hungry.i love my kitties.

[IndigoGirl1971]

Nov. 21, 2009 at 12:48 AM

Our cat was literally an "alley" cat. His mother was feral and lived in the alley behind our apartment building. Pippin is the best cat... a black shorthair with the most loving personality. We used to have his sister, but she died in a horrible accident. I wish we still had her.  It would've been fun to see them grow up together.