Cat Napped

[Konotashi]

So our neighbors live here half of the year, then live in South Dakota the rest of the year. They have 3 cats (2 indoor, 1 outdoor). They're also the ones with the dogs that bark day in and day out. When they left back for South Dakota, they left the outside cat here.

We noticed that when they first arrived, he was plump. As time passed (before they left for SD), he began steadily losing weight. My mom talked to them and they said they don't put food out for him because he's a farm cat and can hunt for his own food. Okay, so I can see a cat sustaining itself out in the country, but in the suburbs... not so much.

My mom started putting food out for him, and he gained weight back quickly. He recognized our cars and would wait for us to get out, then rubbed up on our legs and demanded his attention. When his 'owners' would come home, they paid zero attention to him, and if he tried to go in the house, he was promptly shoved out with their foot.

Well, last night I brought him in the house. Needless to say, he did NOT like the dogs. I can't say it was unexpected, given he was an outside cat, and rule number one is probably to avoid dogs. He was quite unsure at first, but he calmed down within twenty minutes and was back to his head-butting and attention-demanding self.

Last night, he was hissing and slapping at Ozzy when he'd get within 3 feet of him. Just a few minutes ago, I was watching them and Ozzy put his nose right up to Matrix's, and they started licking one another! He seems to be enjoying the indoor life.

We took him to have him microchipped today. He did very well in the car, he just meowed. (So far, every single foster we've had in the car starts meowing). I've never had such an easy time putting a cat in a crate. I put his face toward the kennel door and he walked right in. While they did the microchip, he looked off to the far wall and didn't even seem to notice getting stabbed in the shoulder blades with that gimungous needle. I asked if they could give me a guesstimate on his age, and he was very cooperative (for a cat) while they looked at his teeth. They guessed him to be around 7 years old.
I told my mom about their guess, and she said that the neighbor told her that he was about 10 years old. Why would you put your 10 year old cat outside to fend for itself?

He seems to be enjoying himself quite thoroughly. Right now he's napping on his head, lol.

The title is called Cat Napped, but by law, the person who provides food, water, and shelter (we had a little blanket out there for him to use), then it's legally your animal. So I suppose, that legally, he was our cat after we started feeding him for a week. (That was about a year ago).

Here's the gorgeous guy.

These two were taken a few months ago.




Taken last night.

[LoveEcho]

Ahh he's so handsome!!

[Jelpy]

When I was a teenager I had a cat that voted with his feet. It wasn't that we weren't feeding him, it was that we were feeding him dry food and the neighbors put out canned food. Plus my mom did NOT allow cats in the house. They could live in the garage or anywhere else but not inside. our neighbor's were not nearly as picky and allowed the kitty to sleep on their sofa. Within a few weeks we rarely saw the kitty anymore. After a year I gave in to the obvious and dropped the neighbor's a note that it was time for his annual vaccinations. A year later they moved and took Rex the Cat with them. Somehow, I doubt he shed any tears.

Jelpy

[GSDGunner]

Aww, he is gorgeous. I have a real affinity for black cats. My first cat ever was right before I got married. She was a black cat with the most gorgeous green eyes. She lived until a week before her 17th birthday.

We got Tiger the same way you got Matrix. He started hanging around our house because he was just so friendly and we played with him. He was the best cat and we "adopted" him. Where he lived is anybody's guess but no one ever came looking for him. Our neighbors in the back said they thought he lived across the street from them but wasn't sure. And if he did, they didn't care. They just threw him some food and that was it.
He lived with us for three years. He was the happiest cat, so loving and I'm glad we gave him a loving home. Sadly he passed in 2007 from a heart condition. But for those three years he was a big part of our family.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. Matrix was meant to be with you, just like Tiger was meant to be with us.

He really is a beauty!

[paulag1955]

Pretty! I LOVE black cats!

[Freestep]

Awww... I have a soft spot for black cats. Glad he found you.