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Friday, January 8, 2010

Formerly Feral Friday --Tabitha's Tale


I am a very pretty (if I may say so myself) tabby cat who lives with all my brothers and two sisters - Smidge and Georgie.

My mom Lily had me outdoors in her second litter during the spring of 2005. My bean Mom had tried to catch Lily before she got pregnant again with another litter but it didn't happen. She caught all the cats in the litter before me and brought them inside before we were all born. She was afraid the first litter would disperse throughout the neighborhood and she wouldn't be able to catch them to spay and neuter them.




Me with Only and Two Spot - see the spots? That's how they got their names only the spots faded!


We (Only, Two Spot, Smidge and me) were born under the house in the crawlspace. I was very feisty. Mom bean picked me up when we came up to eat on the deck and I just hissed and spit at her even tho I was just a tiny ball of fur at 6-8 weeks old! She wasn't sure we were all done nursing and didn't want Lily to go into heat again so she left us outside with her for a little longer hoping to catch us all together.

We spent the next few months lounging on the back deck, playing with toys Mom bean left out and living a very nice life. Mom bean was going to be moving to another town and wanted to take us all with her. Mom bean had TNR'd the other feral cats and let them live out their lives in the yard but this time was different. She asked everybody but none of the neighbors would take on the responsibility of feeding and caring for us if she left us behind to live outdoors. She couldn't do that.

We had gotten very used to her by now but still wouldn't let her pet us. She would prop open the porch door and stand inside and we would come in to explore. Only and Two Spot either were dumber or smarter than us (not sure which) but she caught them first by closing the door while they were busy exploring and they were caught on the porch. We got all upset at first but then went back to life as usual.

One day Mom bean put Only in a carrier in the porch and opened the door for us to see. Even Lily went inside to see what was going on. Smidge and I followed Mom Lily and Mom bean closed the porch door! We were inside but not very happy. It took Pop and Mom beans hours to catch us all and put us safely in one small room so we could get used to them and being inside.

Pop bean had a friend who said he would adopt me. He had another little all black kitty and wanted me for a friend for his kitty. Pop bean spent a lot of time with me handling me and petting me - getting me ready for moving in with Robert but that never happened. I am not sure why but in a way I am glad to still be with my family.

We all got moved to the new place and all my litter mates and Lily live with me in a cool shelter the beans made for us. Their house is smaller here than the old one so they converted the workshop and carport into a indoor playroom and screen porch for us to live in. We have all sorts of shelves and chairs to sit on and they spend lots of time out here with us. Pop bean uses the workshop - we gave him a small corner of it to putter around in.




Our neat new porch - that's me with my brothers watching birdies.




I like to be petted, play with my brothers, and eat. I am very loving thanks to all the time Pop bean spent with me. Boxes and a cool red cube are my favorite spots. We watch the goats and birds outside from our enclosed porch and in warm weather get to feel the nice breezes blow through the screen porch. It sure is a better life than we would have had living outside at the old house with no one to care for us.







Me today with Only and Two Spot.


Thanks for listening to my story. Hope you enjoyed it. Click here for more Camera Critters.

33 comments:

  1. Tabitha, you are very pretty! You have a very kind family to care for the (formerly) feral kitties. I like your fancy porch!

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  2. What a heartfelt and moving story! We are so happy for ALL of your to find such wonderful beans to take care of you!!! Hope you have an amazing weekend!!!

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  3. O yes you are very pretty
    You are a Beauty for me ...

    hugs Kareltje =^.^=

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  4. What a story you have ..
    I am so very glad your Mom & Dad found a way to get you inside.
    I had a feral Siamese, Lilly Ann. Her pic is my profile photo. She was a dear love of mine.

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  5. We loved reading your story, Tabitha! You have such an awesome mom bean! And a very awesome porch!

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  6. Hello sweet friend,
    I have tears on my eyes, this is a lovely story indeed, thanks so much for sharing this magnificent post!
    Your beans are very special and they have a wonderful heart, lucky friends, you have now a beautiful big family!Glad to see you all fine and love is all around you!
    purrs and love
    Luna

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  7. You are one good looking tabby! Thanks for visiting with me today and I hope you have a great weekend!

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  8. I love your story Tabitha. I agree you are a very beautiful tabby and it's hard to believe you are littermates with Only and Two Spot. I'm so happy you get to be with them and enjoy your safe and cozy home. You are a lucky kitty to have such a caring Mom Bean
    ~Lisa Co9T

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  9. What a nice story about how you, you sisters and your mom found your forever home. Us feral cats don't always know what's best for us but it's great to have such caring folks who wanted you to have a safe place and made such an effort to get you.

    Midnite & Stray Kitty

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  10. We loved your story, Tabitha. We are so happy that you and your litter mates have such a nice home. Bless your mombean. xxxxxxxxxxx

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  11. That is such a beautiful story, Tabitha! We're so glad you, Only and Two Spot found such a great furever home.

    You have some really wonderful beans!

    Have a great weekend. :)

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  12. You certainly are beautiful, Tabitha -- inside and out, now that your beans have tamed you and the real affectionate you can come out.

    You are so fortunate to have such caring beans, and lucky that you finally came inside. What a happy ending! Or beginning, actually!

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  13. Hi ya, Tabitha! You kinda look like me except you got short hair! I'm glad you got to stay with Only and Two Spot!

    Zoey

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  14. Look at you, so sweet and gentle. I would never have guessed you were a wild child ;) Your story is wonderful!

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  15. What a great story! I'm happy to see you are enjoying the view of the birdies. And thanks for putting the information about the Calcium Ascorbate/Vitamin C Chelate on a comment on my blog http://homelesscatcare.blogspot.com/
    I will check into it for my kitties' immune systems!

    Debby

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  16. Tabitha,
    We love your beautiful story! You certainly have a mom and dad bean that love you very much. And how wonderful that you are still with your cat family. Thanks for sharing such a great story and wonderful photos with us.

    mew!
    Katie
    (Glogirly's cat)

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  17. What a wonderful story to read this morning with my coffee ! How lucky you and your family were to get such a nice forever home ! I just can see the picture when you all were caught, I should have been there with a camera ! lol !
    You have such pretty eyes, that Pookie askes what eyeliner you use, because she has the same fur pattern as you !

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  18. Tabitha that was a lovely story and I am so glad your mum caught you and saved you!

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  19. This is such a lovely story, the mom even had a little tear in her eye when she was finished reading. How nice to have such a happy ending! And you all got to stay together in your forever home with one of the mostest nicest mom and dad that I have read about. Thanks for sharing your story of how you got your forever home. I always like finding out more about my friends.

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  20. Your story has warmed my heart on this freezing cold day. :o)

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  21. Great shots, it sounds like Tabitha and friends are well looked after. Thanks for sharing your brood with us:)

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  22. Tabitha, What a lucky kitty you are to have such wonderful beans. It was wonderful to read your story.

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  23. Hi Tabitha...what a wonderful story about you.
    My my my you live with 3 very white cats...I bet you can easily hide in and about the house much better than they can.
    Madi and Mom

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  24. Thanks Tabittha for sharing your story with us and what a great story it is.

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  25. Looks like my Morgan ... aren't tabbies great?!

    I played too :)

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  26. Wonderful photos - I especially love the firs tone. Her eyes are so piercing! And it looks like she has eye-liner!

    I enjoyed this visit and a tag!

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  27. Yes, Tabitha, you are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your story.

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  28. My tabby, Bean, and I both thank you for loving these furry creatures so much! Beautiful photos and enjoyable story.
    Happy Sunday!

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  29. beautiful photos of these beautiful cats....

    I got a snake

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