24 Hours at a Time

In order to write about him better, let me tell you his name.  The Elusive One, once he became identified as a male, received the name Theo.  Mell, reader of this blog and supporter of Winnie’s Wish, suggested the name this way:              The Elusive One – Theo.  I thought it was great.  Just had to make sure my new Wisher was a “he” which definitely took a few days.

The new black cat went from the trap into a cage in one of the kennel cat rooms (the room I used to call the “kitten room”).  I knew I had myself another feral cat, but I didn’t care.  All that mattered, headed into the bad weather predicted for Christmas weekend, was that this poor dear was inside now – warm and fed and out of the elements.  I put a covered litter box in the cage with a blanket inside so that he(?) could hide and feel a little safer in his brand new environment.  The next morning I raced straight to the kennel and immediately into my new kitty’s room.  He had wedged himself between the covered litter box bed and the wire of the cage.  His food was untouched.  Water untouched.  Litter box (the open one with litter in it) untouched.  Apparently he had not moved a muscle all night.  I walked over and started talking to him, but he crouched as low as he could get and tried to melt into the floor.  He wouldn’t look at me.  I hurriedly went for some canned food.  Not knowing this cat at all, I was careful placing the dish in the cage.  I’ve had feral cats come after me on many occasions.  You just never know if the feral thing is going to play out as frozen fear or aggressive attack.  He didn’t move or look up.  This one was going to be frozen fear.  I left and went to do work in other areas.  I went in and out of his room several times that morning but he never moved and everything in his cage remained untouched.  By late that night I started becoming a little worried.  I knew he was starving.  Even feral cats are usually only too glad to inhale their food almost immediately.

The next morning when I ran down to check on him, he was in the exact same location he’d been in the day before.  But ALL of the food was gone.  He’d had quite a lot of water, and the litter box had been used.  I grabbed a dipper of dry food and reached into his cage to dump it into his bowl.  He wasn’t moving or looking at me.  But when that food started pouring, he literally dived into the bowl.  He was grabbing huge mouthfuls and swallowing as fast as he could.  I knew he had to be a starving cat.  Finally, he was eating like one.  24 hours of frozen fear.  Followed by 24 hours of inhaling every bite of food I put into his cage.

The next morning I decided to take the top off of the covered litter box that I’d made into a bed for him (her?).  He was absolutely not using it with the top on.  Maybe he felt going inside would keep him from knowing what was going on around him.  Several times that day, I found him IN the litter box bed now that the top was off.  And when I would enter the room, he would raise his head just enough for his eyes to peek over.  Food was the love of his life.  He ate every bite of every meal.  He inhaled the food, literally diving into the bowl even before I could pull my hand away.  He certainly was not attacking me (my hand) as he was so obsessed with eating.  24 hours of frozen fear, 24 hours of eating ravenously, now 24 hours of eating and enjoying a bed and peeking at me. Progress.

The next day I decided to be brave.  While he was eating his first meal of the day, I reached in and petted down his back.  He never even looked up from the food.  So I petted him again.  And again.  I was even able to investigate quickly and discover that indeed he was a male.  So he had his name.  Theo.  And I started calling him that.  I actually petted him each time I fed him that day.  Add 24 hours of petting.  Continued progress.  I told Theo that day (Christmas Day) that the weather had turned frightful and he was very lucky to be inside, warm and cozy. 

The next 24 hours were completely amazing.  He was unable to focus on me when food was available.  But when the food was eaten, I could reach in and pet Theo and he liked it.  This was a gift to me.  I would pet him and pet him.  He would let me and he would purr.  What a sweetheart he was!  I was shocked.  This would be the second rescue in a row that I could touch and love on.  Annie was tame from the very first.  Now here was Theo enjoying the affection I was showering onto him.  I had known when I started trying to trap him that this one would be a sanctuary cat.  He had to be completely feral and would probably never be adoptable.  That was ok with me because I just wanted him not to have to hunt to eat.  And as the winter weather approached, I wanted him safe and warm.  But now here he was – enjoying attention from a human.  WONDERFUL.

As many of you know, the New Year’s weekend sent a huge portion of this country into the deep freeze.  We’ve had record-breaking cold here in southern Illinois.  Over and over and over, as we were warned that the weather was actually dangerous, I felt deep joy that Theo was warm and cozy and fed.  And 24 hours at a time, we went from trapper and wildcat to happy friends.

 

 

 

Theo is SO sweet and loving.  We've come a long way - 24 hours at a time.

 

 

He was neutered yesterday.  Now he needs a wonderful Forever Home. 

See you next week for an update on Silly Whim and Arthur and that heartwarming story about a dog.

 

Comments

[Cassandra]

Ah!!!!! That's so wonderful!

[Mell]

Oh. My. Word. What a sweetheart! It always amazes me when insanely feral turns out to be just insanely terrified. I am SO happy he is safe and warm and no longer starving...and it's almost embarrassing how ridiculously pleased I am that you named him Theo...I feel like I have a namesake. :) Give that sweet boy a kiss on the forehead from his Auntie Mell, and give yourself one too, for a job well done.

[Madeline]

FANTASTIC!!!! HE IS SO SWEET. GREATJOB

[Cynthia]

Theo is gorgeous & so sweet. Bless you for making sure he is warm & safe...Chrystal you are amazing!!
I saw another black cat yesterday who also needs a happy ending. The owner of our local grooming/pet food store is a wonderful man who keeps getting cats dumped on him and somebody got a cat as a "gift" for Xmas for their friend who has allergies....duh!! So of course they came to him & now it's not their "problem". The little black cat was hiding behind a shelf yesterday with huge round eyes, frozen in terror, as you say & it broke my heart & frankly it pissed me off that another cat was tossed aside due to stupidity. Thank God for the owner (like you) who won't let them be sent to the shelter. I had a colleague who took the last one he taken in so I will ask around again for this little one. Wish me luck & have a wonderful weekend this Theo :)) I love the name.

[Random Felines]

YAY!! so glad he is friendly and adjusting

[Pam]

Oh he’s such a handsome handsome boy! I just love a happy story ❤️

[The Poupounette Gang]

Chrystal, you are a real miracle-worker! Welcome to the good life, Theo!

[Joan]

Your heart must be swelling with joy Chrystal. You have persisted and look at the reward. Theo is such a lucky cat and how about turning out to be so loving? It's a great start to your year.

[Diane Gritton]

I'm sure that They is happy to be out of the elements and learning about love!

[Maria in FL]

OMG! UNBELIEVABLE!! How was this sweet boy surviving??? My heart goes pitter patter for back kitties, and Theo is no exception. I'm so in love, and so grateful that your tenacity wouldn't let you give up on him. Thank you, Chrystal!! Theo's one of the lucky ones!!

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Oh my gosh, look at him! Theo is a wonderful name! And look how he demands you keep petting his head! And those white hairs all over! Oh my gosh is he cute!!! Oh please, friends, lets get him a home that wants to scritch his loving head over and over and over! Please, lets share and share and ask our friends to share so he can have a perfect home FAST!

Don't forget donations and wish list items!

[meowmeowmans]

Oh! What a wonderful series of events. Theo is super handsome, and now he's super adoptable. Thank you, Chrystal, for helping him and so many others. :)

Hugs!

[Karen Lucas]

Another excellent story for your next book!!! So happy