Oscar Appears
Winnie and I had just moved into a new apartment early June. Nice backyard for her to sit out in her crate while I lounged around reading. Got to see so much sitting out there, lounging. Got to know the neighbourhood cats -- most neighbours allowed their cats to roam and in inclement weather brought them in. Occasionally, I would see a scrawny cat, so skinny I could see each rib. I asked the next-door-neighbour, Dave, about this cat and was told that another neighbour put out food once in a while. Well, didn't look like this cat was getting any of the food. Dave also said that the cat would come begging him for food, climbing up on the picnic table to try to get a morsel. Well, Dave was having none of that and said he swatted the cat away whenever this happened. Wasn't sure I was gonna' like this fella too much! He didn't want this stray around, tormenting his own big white Missy who was queen of the neighbourhood, along with her big female crony who lived behind Dave's house. He said the feral was an unfixed female and the others didn't want anything to do with her.
I started feeding her regularly and did she eat! As much food as I put out, she'd eat. For the first three weeks, she wouldn't come near me and I'd have to leave her food in the back yard. She seemed to always hang around close to the house and would cautiously approach when I came out but waited until I put the food down and left. Then the big cats started coming around and scaring her away before she finished eating. At that point, I decided to kick it up a notch and would put her food out and try to coax her to come to the dish while I was there. I'd talk to her softly and click my tongue at her but she was having none of it. One day I happened to have my house keys in my hand when I took out her food. Keys were jangling lightly and all of a sudden, she came careening around the corner of the house right to the backyard. She hesitated when she saw me, but I stepped a bit away from her food and gently shook my keys. She came closer and closer until she could no longer resist the food and ate it with one eye on me and one on her bowl. From that point on, she came running every time I jangled my keys and allowed me to stand guard while she ate.
I started feeding her regularly and did she eat! As much food as I put out, she'd eat. For the first three weeks, she wouldn't come near me and I'd have to leave her food in the back yard. She seemed to always hang around close to the house and would cautiously approach when I came out but waited until I put the food down and left. Then the big cats started coming around and scaring her away before she finished eating. At that point, I decided to kick it up a notch and would put her food out and try to coax her to come to the dish while I was there. I'd talk to her softly and click my tongue at her but she was having none of it. One day I happened to have my house keys in my hand when I took out her food. Keys were jangling lightly and all of a sudden, she came careening around the corner of the house right to the backyard. She hesitated when she saw me, but I stepped a bit away from her food and gently shook my keys. She came closer and closer until she could no longer resist the food and ate it with one eye on me and one on her bowl. From that point on, she came running every time I jangled my keys and allowed me to stand guard while she ate.