- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 117
- Purraise
- 14
Hello everyone!
I don't know if anyone remembers, but last year I was posting quite a bit because I was working with a feral from outside (he was living around my backyard) for many months, and then finally took the plunge and brought him in weeks before we moved from that property. Then we got here, to our new home, and poor Mr. Jinx made a break for it and was missing in the cold for three days until I live trapped him in the yard and brought him back into the house.
Well... It's been a LONG time now, so I thought it would be good to give an update. November 22nd will mark Jinky's 1 year inside the house anniversary, and since we don't know his birthday, we decided Halloween would be a proper time. I am slow cooking a turkey breast in the crockpot to celebrate! LOL
Anyway, he's doing great and has made zero attempts to leave since that fateful day. When I open the back door he moves away from it and lets the dog out, then patiently waits by his bowl to eat. He's a giant mush machine, and he lives on my lap most of the time.
He's become best friends with DH also, and when I'm not available, you can find him on the DH too. He's all over us in the bed at night, and he loves to put his head under your chin and sleep. He also ADORES kisses and will reach up to you with his head in order to receive them. Every now and again he nibbles your nose to kiss you back.
Jinx purrs ALL the time. He still has some skin allergies, so he's on grain-free food (wet and dry) and salmon oil. He also gets a warm catnip bath every few days to relieve itching. The vet thinks it's due to exposure in the elements without proper care or nutrition for so long. The vet also thinks that's why he has so few teeth (improper nutrition as a kitten).
All in all, he's a perfect love. He gets along with the other pets just fine (we lost our little lady kitty in September and brought a new tiny woman home, and he loved her from day 1). He's happy and kind and seems to enjoy his lazy senior lifestyle at home!
Last year at this time, I thought I'd been dealing with a cat who was *maybe* 2 or 3 years old. I was trying to figure out how in the world to bring this frightened little guy who wouldn't even let me watch him eat through a window inside. We'd worked so long to get to a place where he was just letting me touch him, and then one cold night, he sat in the rain, sneezing and shaking, looking at me in the kitchen. He was begging me to come sit with him in the wet cold, and I knew then that there was no way I was going to leave him out there.
Fast forward to a little while later, after tricking him inside and luring him with turkey, I find out he's not 3, he's somewhere between 8 and 12 years old! Yes, he was a potentially 12 YEAR OLD feral!
His happy face reminds me to never give up and always have hope that the most amazing things can happen. He's an incredible little wonder, and I'm sure there are many more senior ferals out there who would be just as thrilled to have a warm lap to sleep in after such a desperate hard life.
I was once told that ferals could not be domesticated after ten months of age. That any cat over 10 months was a "lost cause". I'm glad I never listened.
I don't know if anyone remembers, but last year I was posting quite a bit because I was working with a feral from outside (he was living around my backyard) for many months, and then finally took the plunge and brought him in weeks before we moved from that property. Then we got here, to our new home, and poor Mr. Jinx made a break for it and was missing in the cold for three days until I live trapped him in the yard and brought him back into the house.
Well... It's been a LONG time now, so I thought it would be good to give an update. November 22nd will mark Jinky's 1 year inside the house anniversary, and since we don't know his birthday, we decided Halloween would be a proper time. I am slow cooking a turkey breast in the crockpot to celebrate! LOL
Anyway, he's doing great and has made zero attempts to leave since that fateful day. When I open the back door he moves away from it and lets the dog out, then patiently waits by his bowl to eat. He's a giant mush machine, and he lives on my lap most of the time.
He's become best friends with DH also, and when I'm not available, you can find him on the DH too. He's all over us in the bed at night, and he loves to put his head under your chin and sleep. He also ADORES kisses and will reach up to you with his head in order to receive them. Every now and again he nibbles your nose to kiss you back.
Jinx purrs ALL the time. He still has some skin allergies, so he's on grain-free food (wet and dry) and salmon oil. He also gets a warm catnip bath every few days to relieve itching. The vet thinks it's due to exposure in the elements without proper care or nutrition for so long. The vet also thinks that's why he has so few teeth (improper nutrition as a kitten).
All in all, he's a perfect love. He gets along with the other pets just fine (we lost our little lady kitty in September and brought a new tiny woman home, and he loved her from day 1). He's happy and kind and seems to enjoy his lazy senior lifestyle at home!
Last year at this time, I thought I'd been dealing with a cat who was *maybe* 2 or 3 years old. I was trying to figure out how in the world to bring this frightened little guy who wouldn't even let me watch him eat through a window inside. We'd worked so long to get to a place where he was just letting me touch him, and then one cold night, he sat in the rain, sneezing and shaking, looking at me in the kitchen. He was begging me to come sit with him in the wet cold, and I knew then that there was no way I was going to leave him out there.
Fast forward to a little while later, after tricking him inside and luring him with turkey, I find out he's not 3, he's somewhere between 8 and 12 years old! Yes, he was a potentially 12 YEAR OLD feral!
His happy face reminds me to never give up and always have hope that the most amazing things can happen. He's an incredible little wonder, and I'm sure there are many more senior ferals out there who would be just as thrilled to have a warm lap to sleep in after such a desperate hard life.
I was once told that ferals could not be domesticated after ten months of age. That any cat over 10 months was a "lost cause". I'm glad I never listened.
So happy for you, your husband, and Mr. Jinx. :rub:
