Amazing what a few lessons can accomplish! Stevie, our baby girl, has mastered the art of taking over the food bowl! The two boys, Mugs (the old man) standing tall in the background, and Boots-see, the newest addition to the family, is bowing down to her Highness! 🤣 That is not always the case, though. When we first brought Boots into the family, it was only temporary... he was a new community cat who was starving... he gutturally howled miserably outside but when we tried to approach him, he would cower and run away. Just before we were going on a mini vacation, we discovered he was badly wounded. Our neighbors said they would watch and feed him with the other community cats. Grant, who swore he would NEVER have more than two cats, said that if he was still around and his wound had not healed, we would trap and bring him into the vet. After winning his trust, we trapped and brought him to the vet. We said we will fix, and suture him up, but release him back to the community once he was healed. The vet will notch his ear to identify the feral cat had been fixed.
We got the call he was ready to be picked up. Groggy, but doing well. Good thing we brought him in! There was a foxtail deeply embedded in the wound!
Still not trusting us humans, Boots reluctantly stayed in our impromptu cage in the cool garage as he healed. We couldn't bring him inside because of the other two cats. We had to slowly introduce them. We spent time nursing him to health, first in the garage, then inside the house, cage and all. And then we discovered... his ear was not notched? When we called the vet, they confirmed they chose not to... why? Well, after a $400 bill, they didn't think we would release him into the wild!
Yep, they were right! Grant couldn't release him.
Fast forward a year... Boots has not stepped out of the house (the cats have their very own catio, completely enclosed patio to enjoy the outside without going out....) on his own! Grant just put him in our backyard outside the catio, but Boots just cowered in his spot! Well, for about 2 minutes. Once he realized he was not harnessed or leashed, he quizzically tested taking a step and explore the new territory...but when he looked like he was going to bolt, Grant picked him up... he didn't want Boots to jump the fence and not come back! Lol
So, the first several months, Boots had his own food bowl which he slurped up in seconds as if there would be no food for a long time. Being an outside abandoned cat (we think), he couldn't trust when he would get his next meal. He began to trust and learned to slow down his eating. Any day, he could be first (almost always) to the bowl, or last... in either case, he now grazes just like his princess Ate and his Kuya Bully. But he sure knows where he is on the totem pole. If Ate wants to eat first, he will patiently wait.
So, yes, Boots is very thankful to have his furever family. And he lets us know how much each day. His constant need for belly rubs and verbal approvals to join us (yes, he usually asks permission!) are just a few of his way of letting us know how much he appreciates not having to forage for his food and for a place to sleep every day. He knows he has it made! Out of the three rescued kits, he is definitely the most vocally expressive! Yep, he learned how to meow and purr!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
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