Hi everyone,
A lovely black and white cat turned up in my garden a few years ago. He used to just pop in every now and then, but for at least two years now, he’s made himself at home here and hasn’t budged since. We feed him every morning and evening, just like our own cats, with good quality food.
We already have four cats of our own, including a Maine Coon who is very territorial and doesn't accept 'strangers' (other animals) in the house, apart from one little cat we rescued from the garden who is now part of the tribe.
Anyway, back to our stray—his behaviour is quite strange, it's as if he’s devoted his entire life to us. He never leaves the doormat in front of the glass front door and sometimes just stares inside for hours. It makes me feel so sad because he doesn’t seem to have a life of his own; he doesn’t play, go for walks or hunt. He always has his nose pressed against the glass, even though we’ve set up a little outdoor shelter just for him, tucked away with a duvet for the winter. Much to my regret, he won't go near it. It’s like his only goal in life is to live inside the house, but with Chinoock, that’s just not an option as we know exactly how he behaves towards animals he doesn't like.
My husband sometimes tries to treat him because he often has little bumps and scrapes, though we don’t know how he gets them. He’s very thin despite eating well; I have a feeling he isn't exactly young anymore and might have lost his teeth, because he makes sucking noises when he eats. We’ll take him to the vet one day for a full check-up, but he doesn't let you touch him easily.
The problem is, if we ever move house, I wouldn't want to leave him all alone, but what else can we do? Taking him to the RSPCA or a local rescue might mean he’d be put down... anyway, it’s not an issue for the time being.
He’s a tom cat with folded ears; I think that’s a specific breed, but I can’t remember which one.
I just wanted to share his story and see if any of you have had similar experiences, as a stray’s life is a rather sad one.
Take care.
See you soon.
