Wednesday, August 21, 2013

mornings with the ferals

I'm not usually a morning person, so when the alarm goes off a little before 6am, I begrudgingly turn it off - I don't want to get out of the warm, cozy flannel sheets - until I remember that I get to feed Oliver and his family! Feeding them every morning is the highlight of my morning.

Every night I fear something will happen to one of them overnight and I may never see them again. So, seeing them all safe and sound in the morning is such a delight!

All three cats are usually bedded down, each on their own heating pad on the back porch, waiting for breakfast to arrive. When they hear me in the mudroom, they begin to stir and stretch. Oliver waits right by the mudroom door on the sisal mat that he loves. Pierre is a short distance off and MK waits by the back porch door just incase he needs to bolt.


Even before I'm done scooping the wet food out of the can, Oliver starts in. He always starts eating first, he needs to get some because when Pierre and MK come over he lets them have the remainder. He's a very generous cat. Sometimes while Oliver is eating and I'm still filling the bowl, Pierre comes over to me and eats some too, being very much at ease with being just inches away from me. 


I share with you back in June that when I held out a finger to Pierre he would raise his paw and touch my finger. Now, Pierre has started to initiate contact! While I'm filling the bowl, he comes right up to me and reaches his paw out to touch my hand!! He's done this several times now and it melts my heart each time. He's even started sniffing my fingers. Earning their trust fills my heart with joy.


MK in these pictures cracks me up. He always does this when I try to get pictures of them all. He's the one on the back who's looking every direction except at the camera! Silly ferals!

14 comments:

  1. Yep, that is so wonderful, we are always thrilled to see our ferals are okay too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's like getting a family portrait--one of the kids never cooperates ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this post, we feed a feral each night. He is the father of our 4 calico's. Tom has managed to get a little closer to him over the years but he is still very wary, he's not in the best condition but we have improved him with cod liver oil, flea tablet, wormer and spirulina. I know the joy you get from feeding yours, we never get fed up with watching 'Daddy' as we call him, get stuck into his food each night.
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Being trusted is the most beautiful thing that they do for us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Adorable! Thank you for caring for them! Love that MK! Purrs...

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's just so great! Having a feral learn to trust you is the greatest thing ever. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. we love hearing about your outdoor boys and how much progress you are making (even if MK is playing hard to get)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awww your ferals have such a good home. I wonder if they know how lucky they really are.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's so wonderful the relationship you have with them and the trust they show you. You take such good care of them.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh how I love love love reading your dear encounters with your feral family. They are so fortunate to have you and they have taught you many things too. What a joy to read.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I would be worried all the time too, by the way. Unless they were inside and I know that can't happen for all the reasons you have let us know about, in a way they are at the mercy of so much. I would be like the sun rising each day to see their dear faces.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice way to start the morning. Kitty greetings. I know I would like you, much better once I knew everyone was accounted for. They have a wonderful place to sleep, thanks to you. They are lucky, and so are you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is wonderful. I am so glad they have you.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dad feeds a little feral too. She comes by and snacks. He thinks she has a home she is so clean and only comes at night. (put the cat out?) Now there is another kitty but only now and then.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for sending in your comments!