I could cry tears of joy!
The momma cat I've seen since I moved here in August, searched for back in November (http://tinyurl.com/botkylp) and went missing for a month and I thought surely died is ALIVE!
It snowed yesterday, giving us a white Christmas, and it turns out all that wishing for snow had a wonderful side benefit: TRACKS!
I was just out, taking photos and enjoying the snow when I noticed THESE
So I shimmied along the fence to see where they came from:
And followed them up and around bushes, across yards, and past buildings:
But no Marla!
So out I came from behind a building, downtrodden, and THERE SHE WAS! Not very far from me at all!
I had to stop myself from jumping for joy! 
She hid under the car as soon as she saw me but I tried to sneak around to the other side to get a closer look. But as always, she snuck away as soon as I turned my head to watch my feet, and hid somewhere. I decided to go get the food from my car and put it in all the places I had seen her tracks. As I was passing back around the car I saw her out of the corner of my eye going inbetween the dumpsters so I called out, making eye contact as I pretended to eat a handful of cat food and then placing it on the ground. She ran away though, up the hill. I knew better than to chase her, so I just continuously circled the buildings, leaving little piles of food.
There's a spot inbetween my building and the next where the air conditioners are, and I decided to put a pile of food there. On my way back from round number 2? 3? I stopped dead in my tracks. There she was! Eating straight from the pile inbetween the buildings! I backed up and stayed a distance away and got this shot because I thought it would be the last I would see of her today.
After she was done, she sunk back in the bushes a little, and I wondered if I'd be able to put more food back there for her. A man and his daughter showed up though, moving boxes and making noise, so I decided to make a pile right at the edge of the sidewalk close to the grass. When I looked up, there she was! Still in the bush, right in front of me. I averted my eyes, put down the food and backed away. I hoped to wait it out and see if she would come out, but once again, the people were too loud.
So I made a round again and came back. I tried to figure out what to do, I knew she wouldn't eat or come out if she saw me, and it was very cold, so I decided to wait in my car. Boy am I glad I did.
I watched in amazement as she walked straight out of the bushes, looking straight at me (but not seeing me!) and searching for all the piles I had left her.
While she was eating one of the furthest away piles, I decided to roll down my window and talk softly to her. Calling her name, saying what a good girl she was, etc. Then, on a hunch, I threw food out my window and rolled it up. She definitely saw me do it, but continued eating and then moved away to the farthest pile. "Oh well", I thought.
She turned around and headed back to the car, sitting under it, drinking some of the water that had melted from the snow. Then she looked towards my way curiously and I thought no.... surely not.
....
Within ARMS REACH almost!! I couldn't believe it!
[VIDEO][/VIDEO]
I spent more than three hours is sub-freezing temperatures, but it was ALL WORTH IT. She's alive, she's got 6+ handfulls of food in her and I'm HAPPY.
The momma cat I've seen since I moved here in August, searched for back in November (http://tinyurl.com/botkylp) and went missing for a month and I thought surely died is ALIVE!
It snowed yesterday, giving us a white Christmas, and it turns out all that wishing for snow had a wonderful side benefit: TRACKS!
I was just out, taking photos and enjoying the snow when I noticed THESE
But no Marla!
So out I came from behind a building, downtrodden, and THERE SHE WAS! Not very far from me at all!
She hid under the car as soon as she saw me but I tried to sneak around to the other side to get a closer look. But as always, she snuck away as soon as I turned my head to watch my feet, and hid somewhere. I decided to go get the food from my car and put it in all the places I had seen her tracks. As I was passing back around the car I saw her out of the corner of my eye going inbetween the dumpsters so I called out, making eye contact as I pretended to eat a handful of cat food and then placing it on the ground. She ran away though, up the hill. I knew better than to chase her, so I just continuously circled the buildings, leaving little piles of food.
There's a spot inbetween my building and the next where the air conditioners are, and I decided to put a pile of food there. On my way back from round number 2? 3? I stopped dead in my tracks. There she was! Eating straight from the pile inbetween the buildings! I backed up and stayed a distance away and got this shot because I thought it would be the last I would see of her today.
After she was done, she sunk back in the bushes a little, and I wondered if I'd be able to put more food back there for her. A man and his daughter showed up though, moving boxes and making noise, so I decided to make a pile right at the edge of the sidewalk close to the grass. When I looked up, there she was! Still in the bush, right in front of me. I averted my eyes, put down the food and backed away. I hoped to wait it out and see if she would come out, but once again, the people were too loud.
So I made a round again and came back. I tried to figure out what to do, I knew she wouldn't eat or come out if she saw me, and it was very cold, so I decided to wait in my car. Boy am I glad I did.
I watched in amazement as she walked straight out of the bushes, looking straight at me (but not seeing me!) and searching for all the piles I had left her.
While she was eating one of the furthest away piles, I decided to roll down my window and talk softly to her. Calling her name, saying what a good girl she was, etc. Then, on a hunch, I threw food out my window and rolled it up. She definitely saw me do it, but continued eating and then moved away to the farthest pile. "Oh well", I thought.
She turned around and headed back to the car, sitting under it, drinking some of the water that had melted from the snow. Then she looked towards my way curiously and I thought no.... surely not.
....
[VIDEO][/VIDEO]
I spent more than three hours is sub-freezing temperatures, but it was ALL WORTH IT. She's alive, she's got 6+ handfulls of food in her and I'm HAPPY.
Aw, that's great news!!!!! 
Sending good vibes for a happy outcome.
