For those who are wondering …
Boots:
He will come with us and he will have the run of the house so long as he behaves and I have no reason to believe he won’t behave. He’s a really good kitty. The only issue I anticipate is that he’s going to come into the kitchen but he’s a fast learner. We’ll mostly stay in the basement except for cooking, eating and sleeping . . which I guess is really a lot but all the knitting, sewing, watching TV time will be done in the basement so I’m hoping he’ll feel more comfortable staying down there. The sewing room windows have the 8 – 10″ windowsills like he’s used to so I think he’ll spend a lot of time sitting in those.
Having a cat in the house will be an adjustment for Boots, Rita, Vince and me but we’ll figure it all out.
Cat:
There’s no way Cat can come with us. We’re in a subdivision, even if it’s only a few houses but there is a road next to us that isn’t busy but has enough traffic that a pet should not be running loose. Cat has undoubtedly been a feral cat since birth and I doubt she would adjust to the living arrangements in MO, nor would she be very happy with the strange sounds and no real woods to hide in.
I think she knows something is up. She would always let Vince pet her first thing in the morning when he fed her. Now, she will not come near us, nor will she eat her food if we’re outside. I only see her about once a week; she no longer sleeps on my car. She suspects something’s up.
My closest neighbor is going to try to watch out for her. We’re gradually moving her food bowl closer to the neighbor’s house. They will watch out for her. That’s about the best I can do unless someone buys the house as soon as we put it up for sale (and we don’t even know what we’re doing with it yet) and they agree to care for her.
I hate leaving her but I feel like we’ve done all we can do and I feel like bringing her to MO would not be right for her.
Paula Nordt says
Totally understand about Cat. I would care for her if she was near me. I basically have a “feral” kitten living in my house since early December. Her mother is a sweetheart who adopted us then, and brought her two kittens to us. Unfortunately the boy kitten died from snake bite a few weeks ago. He also was a sweetie after he got use to us. I still can’t pick up the little girl. Sigh.
Dot Murdoch says
Thank You……dm
vivoaks says
I’m sure you thought a lot about what would happen with Cat, but he/she really is still feral, even though she’s let you get a lot closer. She’ll be just fine going back on her own. I’ll be interested to see if Boots gets along with Rita. I’m guessing Boots will prefer the basement to the upstairs, just so she won’t have to deal. with a dog! 🙂 Time should take care of it all. Adjustments are a necessary part of life, no matter the species.. 🙂
Judy Laquidara says
Boots can get away! Rita is confined to the kitchen, breakfast room and sunroom (which is more room than our living room/dining room and kitchen in Texas). Boots and Speck always got along; Rita and Speck got along but Rita wants to fight with my uncle’s dogs so I’m not sure if, maybe because she’s blind, she isn’t friendly with other animals but I’m confident she and Boots will do fine. Rita’s close to the ground and Boots can easily get away.
Carolyn Sullivan says
I tried to get a feral cat family to come inside and live w me 30+ years ago…. they came in for the winter, but that was it come spring, they left again….Feral cats are Feral. I don’t think that we can change that. If you would be OK w Cat being Feral on your property in MO then take her. otherwise don’t bother. I know how much trouble it was to get her to the vet that time
Nelle Coursey says
I think you are right about Cat. He/she would never be happy anywhere but where he/she is. I don’t think Cat would stay around long and might even try to come back here. Even though you are there. This has always been home and would not be the same in MO. Cat will be fine. Mary will make sure of that. She is a tender hearted person and she will see to it that Cat is ok.