Last April (2024), a feral cat had three kittens in my shed out back. After she had weaned them, I was able to trap her, get her fixed and vaccinated, and then re-released. I was also able to trap two of the kittens when they were 6-7 weeks old, a perfect age for them to be tamed and turned into domesticated cats. They found good homes through the Humane Society.
The third kitten, however, evaded capture. I was finally able to trap her in November to get fixed and vaccinated, but by that age, she was pretty much going to be a feral cat. Or so I thought.
Over the last year, I have been slowly earning her trust. We've gotten to the point now where not only does she come to me when called, she lets me pick her up even. She's definitely my cat now, she follows me around everywhere when I am outside, constantly looking for pets and attention. When I feel she is ready, I am going to take her to my vet for a full check up and get her shots up to date. And then, I'm going to try letting her in the house from time to time. My indoor cats seem to be adjusting well to her presence outside, and they even sniff each other through the screen window with zero drama now. My only hope is that she doesn't wander into the busy country road out front and, well...
Anyway, her name is Cookie Puss, named after the song that started it all for the Beastie Boys.
