Update on the Saga of Bella

9 years ago

Last daylily season, I posted photos and stories on Bella the young feral cat I had been feeding and gradually taming outside.

Initially she was so scared that if she saw me throw a bit of chicken in her direction, she would run and hide, but gradually tamed to take the chicken from my hand, then crawl in my lap to get more chicken than Gus the other cat who had found me.

I learned to pet her while she was eating, and eventually could actually pick her up. But I got scratched pretty well (palm) the first time I tried to put her in a carrier, to take her to get her spaded.

The next time we scheduled her surgery, I enticed her into the carrier by putting a piece of chicken in the carrier...she went right in this time, and it was off to the vet.

We brought her home and transferred her to a large rabbit cage for recovery time. I put a dish pan on one side for a litter box, and added some mulch to the cat sand. She spent a good part of her days in the cage for a week while she healed from the surgery. While he was in the cage, she became accustomed to the Chihuahas and the other cats in the house and did not run from or fight them when she was freed.

She is now a very loving inside cat. She often comes to the office and climbs in my lap and proceeds to love me and kiss me and spends a lot of time lying across my chair.

And decides to "clean" and nip my earlobe

But is careful to give a lot of love

I think it means feral cats can be tamed if done slowly, and if they haven't been mistreated by anyone before you "meet" them...it helps that she was only about six months old when she first discovered me feeding Gus. And then there is Murphy...but that is another story. I hope everyone's New Year has started out well. Looking forward to spring.

Kay

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Comments (15)

celeste/NH
9 years ago
I'm so glad I checked in this morning to see this. (I have a severe case of the flu but caregiving duties still go on and this good news is what I needed to start my day!)
I have been a big fan of Bella since you began posting pics of her as have others here so it is a delight to see what a beautiful friend for you she has become. This does my heart good! I love cats and would rescue every feral and unwanted baby I could find if hubby let me but he firmly tells me I have enough on my hands (now I'm taking in Dad to care for plus Mom and 5 grandkids...lol). So you see I can't do kitty rescue just yet but I follow your posts about the kitties with great interest and applaud you for being so kindhearted. I love the pictures of you and Bella! Happy New Year to you and yours.

Celeste
kitchendetective
9 years ago
I read this because of the little blurb that showed up on the right. I am delighted for you and Bella. Our first feral cat experience last spring. Trapping them for spaying/neutering has been a saga I'll not detail here--no time. But kudos to you and how lucky for Bella to have found you.
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sherrygirl zone5 N il
9 years ago
Kay, as the saying goes" who adopted who?" I think you are both lucky!

Sherry
samhain10 - 5a
9 years ago
Kay - good story with a happy resolution - thank you! We also do feral rescue, and agree with you that time and gentleness can succeed with some of the wildest ones, though it can take a year or more sometimes. It is rewarding to win the trust of these wild creatures.

- Alex
Nancy
9 years ago
What a happy continuation of Bella's story, just a nice feel good for the day. I remember when I was a kid we had feral cats in our barns on the farm. I wanted a cat really badly, so tamed them-as I could catch them. Of course, I was a kid & not patient so was rather bloody for me, but they tamed to me in a surprisingly short time.
Thanks for sharing Bella with us this morning, I always watch for your updates.

Nancy
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
9 years ago
I was hoping this wasn't a sad ending to a sweet story. I'm so glad Bella has become a part of your inside family. She's a real beauty and appropriately named........Maryl
Cindy zone 6a
9 years ago
How wonderful!! This is a real feel good saga! So glad you found each other. Thanks for sharing.

Cindy
organic_kitten
Original Author
9 years ago
I am glad you all were interested in my Bella. Celeste, I hope you feel better quickly. You are a busy woman, and have plenty to do without rescuing...Zeus is such a beauty, he fills lots of heart space already.

Kitchendetective, glad you caught up on Bella...thanks for commenting.

Sherry, she stayed around even when she was very shy, so I think it was a little of both.

Alex, there was a beautiful male too, wild, but he had begun to take food from my hand...I called him Higgins, Higgins would come to eat when I called "Kitty, Kitty", and soon we noticed that he had started limping and the following day the limp was quite bad, so we trapped him and took him to the vet. Both bones in the leg were broken, we had it set and splinted, but he died when they brought him out from under the anesthesia. I cried like a baby. There is one more feral that sometimes comes to feed, and I will trap and neuter and return her before spring (and kittens) if I can catch her. she is quite skitish...I have to do this out of self defense since cats always find me in the garden, and I need no more cats.

Nancy, Bella has is so tame and so loving. I am enjoying her very much. It has been a saga.

Cindy! So nice to see your name and a post from you, I have missed you. How are your cats, and the beautiful swans? This silly cat (don't they always) came up to me in the garden...our lives are filled with cats who found me in the flowers! As I hinted, there is a Murphy whose story I will share one day soon.

Thanks you for your kind words and interest in Bella, Maryl. Higgins was enough sad story for me, surely don't need one with Bella.

Thank you all again for your comments.
kay
sandyslopes z5 n. UT
9 years ago
Bella is one lucky kitty! This is a wonderful story.

This post was edited by sandyslopes on Thu, Jan 8, 15 at 22:52
KarenPA_6b
9 years ago
What a wonderful story and a beautiful cat! Thank you for sharing. Bella looks so regal in the first pic! Can I ask how long did it take you to tame Bella? Thanks, Karen
KarenPA_6b
9 years ago
What a wonderful story and a beautiful cat! Thank you for sharing. Bella looks so regal in the first pic! Can I ask how long did it take you to tame Bella? Thanks, Karen
organic_kitten
Original Author
9 years ago
Kousa,

The first time I saw her was the middle of June. She had her surgery in October. From looking at "advice" on the net in regard to taming a feral cat, I did some right things through luck. I meowed to her and sat down...both supposed to be non-threatening. Also, I came with boiled chicken and used bits of it to get positive attention from her. From the time she "found" her first bite on the ground, to accepting it from my fingers was only about 10 days. after feeding the chicken, I would offer canned cat food which she also liked really well. This was helped along by the fact she has a really good appetite. also, I wanted to pet her, and first attempted a single stroke while she was eating. She startled, and jerked away, but soon would tolerate petting for food. Then I would pick her up and put her down right away, but would hold her progressively longer each time. When I worked in the daylilies, she would hang around and follow everywhere I went, but not come close. Four months from terror at the sight of me to being very lovable seems fast, but every progressive move was added at inches at the time. She is so sweet and loving now, I am really enjoying her. Good luck to you in any efforts to tame feral cats. They are so worth it.

kay
Julia WV (6b)
9 years ago
Loved seeing the pics Kay. Glad things are going smoothly with Bella. Your an inspiration to others.

Julia
organic_kitten
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Julia.I just couldn't stand to see such a pretty cat relegated to the misery of outside feral hunting food, having many litters of kittens and risking traffic deaths. And she is a sweetie. Keep warm and dream of spring like the rest of us...I put my few potted (never got planted in the fall) daylilies in the greenhouse last night. Don't like cold weather. but for us it is supposed to be short term.

kay
peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
9 years ago
What a great story and outcome for both of you!

Update on the Saga of Bella

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celeste/NH

kitchendetective

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sherrygirl zone5 N il

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sandyslopes z5 n. UT

KarenPA_6b

KarenPA_6b

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Julia WV (6b)

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peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada

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