El Gato Coyote

Feral cats
Spay and neuter
Alley cats
Trap, neuter, release

 

Update February 8th 2018    This handsome kitty showed up in the fall.   He confused us because he looks identical to our resident cat Willie who has been with us since 2012.   Willie disappeared and reappeared and we thought was behaving rather strange.    In mid December we figured it out....we had a new cat with a  slightly different pattern than Willie, it appeared he was here to stay, bumping us up to a total of 10 cats.  If I could have my way they would all be pampered indoor friends....but these former roaming Tom cats can be miserable living indoors.   They are well fed and pampered barn cats...unlike any barn cats in my neighborhood.   It as if there is signage indicating this is a stop on the wild highway and an excellent place to land.   My experience after working with these guys is as they mature they can spend some of their elder years being pampered and integrated into life as a house cat.    Our beloved Sonic (RIP) passed in August, one would not ever guessed him to become as loving and docile.   So people are wrong to say a feral cat is feral forever.

Back to this Coyote cat, after several blood curdling screams with the residents I increased my effort to get this guy vetted and neutered.   I thought I needed to set a trap to catch him but as the temperatures dropped he started allowing me to pet him at feeding time.   Then I picked him up and petted him without any distress.  Voila, on the coldest day of the year right before Christmas I delivered him to our vet for his surgery.   I contemplated leaving him overnight but realized he "might" be more comfortable in a more familiar place.   Our old farm house basement is little more than a bare floor dug out where snakes and toads live along with our furnace.   It stays above freezing in the coldest weather.    So he spent the night there for recovery and did just fine.   

I wish I knew the number of spays and neuters we have facilitated over the past 30 years.  Our vet lost our records but I would venture to guess close to 100 cats.   Some have lived to ripe old age and there have been some tragic loss way too early.   I can rest assured I have given these cats a better existence for having  found us.  Their passing is never easy for me, but I am grateful for the mutual love and adoration shared.   I thought about offering Coyote to a friend who had asked about a cat.   I decided after much cogitation they were not prepared to put the work into integrating him to my satisfaction so it looks like he is here to stay.   Such as life I now have another cat that I did not intend to get.   Tonight at dusk I noticed him running toward me in delight with his tail at full mast.   He is a happy boy now.   The hormones are beginning to settle down.

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