Anniversary Day for Nini, my feral cat. I live on a ranch where a year ago we discovered field mice in our home and rats in the workshop. Way too many!
We needed a cat but not a pet. The hills surrounding our house have an abundance of coyotes, hawks and an occasional mountain lion. These critters think cats are snacks.
I grew up on a ranch with outside cats. Their mamas taught them survival in the wild.
At Port Hueneme Beach, where I have a townhouse, a Samaritan feeds wild animals. He planned to get rid of the overpopulation of feral cats by taking them to shelters where they’d be euthanized.
“If you can trap one.” I said. “I will take it to a vet for spaying or neutering.”
“Deal.”
One year ago. Nini came to live with my husband Gerry and me. At first, Nini wouldn’t touch his cat food until I moved out of his sight. In a few months, I could stand about ten feet away. Soon, he let me touch him as I put down his food. Now he’s a lover. Jumps into my lap!