I will openly admit: when it comes to cats, we are total sucks.
When we moved to the farm, we had two tuxedo cats. One was a stray that showed up, starving for both food and human attention, on our balcony with another stray. She turned out to be pregnant, and brought her baby up to our balcony (up several flights of stairs!). We were able to adopt out the mom and keep the baby. Two years later, she showed up on our balcony again. This time, we were able to keep her. She has shown no interest in going outside, since!
So we had a mama and her boy indoors, plus the yard cats that were living here when we moved in.
Last year, two of the yard cats (whom we were told were fixed) had kittens.
Then another kitten showed up. Like a ghost, in the trees.
We think she was dumped.
She appeared to be about the same age as the kittens in the yard and, thankfully, they accepted her as one of them.
We didn’t intend to bring her indoors.
Did I mention we are sucks?
Over the winter, we set up shelter and warmth for the outside cats in the sun room. The yard cats have been here for generations, so even with the unusually bitter cold last winter, they developed their thick undercoats and managed.
This kitten did not develop a thick undercoat.
Finally, for her own survival, we brought her indoors. It took a while for the other indoor cats to get used to her, but by spring, they were cuddling and playing together.
Then there was Dave.
Dave is sibling to Keith and Junkpile Kitten. There was a fourth kitten in this litter who disappeared. 😦
Their mother is one of last year’s kittens we were not able to socialize. The only reason we were able to catch Keith and Dave was because they were sick with leaky eyes. Dave’s long hair meant his eyes got glued shut. We were unable to catch their sibling, and their mom moved him to a junk pile not far from the house.
After days of eye washing and caring for them, Dave wasn’t getting better as quickly. He also wriggled his tiny little self into all our hearts. After much discussion, he is now an indoor cat.
The indoor cats were not impressed. Especially the one we brought in this past winter. She hissed, spit and growled at him every chance she could.
She also constantly followed him around.
Dave won her over.
So now we have four rescues in the house.
If we could, we’d keep all the kittens, but we would rather they have the safety and love of their own indoor homes and families.
So please do check out the adoption list, and if you are in Central Manitoba and have room in your heart and home for one of these beauties, let us know!
Adopt a Yard Cat 