In the summer of 2004, small cat tracks were seen by my husband. He told me he thought we had a cat in the woodshed and maybe I should put out some food....Maybe???? Of course, I would, and water, and make some nice places to sleep. I put an old rust colored blanket up in the wood, tucking it back as far as I could. Days went by and I never saw anything, although the food was disappearing at an alarming rate. Then, one day I happened to open the door and saw a flash of fur. I wanted to see the face of this cat, so I spent a considerable amount of time sneaking up to the door, where the food bowl was. After doing this so many times I can't even count, I was rewarded. Looking down, there was the most beautiful cat face staring right back up at me, eyes ringed in black, rose colored nose. She immediately ran.
It took a year, but she went from being a semi-feral cat who didn't trust me at all, to my being able to open the door and have her come to me, purring and headbutting. She gives little love nips, too. She is starved for attention and would let me spend hours with her like that, but even now, after two years, she still doesn't feel comfortable if I try to come outside; she wants me on my side of the door. She will look at me from a distance, when I am outside, but would never come up to me. I guess she feels if I am in the house, she is safe. I put flea medicine on her and tried to worm her by putting crushed up pills in stinky goodness, which just goes to waste. She evidently has been spayed. She was so wild at first, I couldn't trap her, but she has never had kittens.
She is a torbie. Her age? No idea, but she seems young, she loves to play, chase leaves, run around at the speed of light, a ball of fur, she even has a toy that I find in different places. The other day, Mittens was batting at a fly in the windowsill. After watching intently, Mistrie started playing with something on the deck. I know she wished she could play with Mittens.
She has two beds in the woodshed now, one on either end, and two beds under the deck, completely enclosed and insulated. She also has her nice weather, round bed, under the seats of our deck, situated so she can watch what is going on inside. I put plastic lids on the seats to work as a roof, and, unless it rains hard, she doesn't get wet.
I named her Mistre (she is a mystery.) Her middle name is Rose, the color of her nose. I don't know if she will ever become really tame; but she has it very nice outside. She has the pond and all the wildlife that go with it, to watch, numerous decks she can hide under, trees to climb and sharpen her nails, and the biggest litter box ever (my flowerbed.) Far away from the road, she never roams, has her boundries. She is terrified of vehicles that go by and strangers, actually anyone but me. We love our Mistrie Rose, the girls and her interact between the screen. She has brought added happiness, as she chases the resident turkey, runs after bugs, and brings me mice, still alive, for praise. We are thrilled to have our little Mistrie Rose!
We updated the catolympics blog yesterday. Go check it out
HERE!
Toni (The Mom)
