Joy wrote in rec.pets.cats.anecdotes:

On 10/24/2016 2:54 PM, cshenk wrote:
jmcquown wrote in rec.pets.cats.anecdotes:

It is good news! 43 feral cats. They've all had their ears
notched so they can be identified as having been trapped,
neutered/released.

Buffy has a notched ear. She was one of the ferals until her
former owner scooped her up as a kitten. Who says you can't turn
a feral into a completely spoiled love bug? Introduce them to a
life of luxury when they're young, of course you can.

Grin, you can even do it with older ones but it is much harder.
I've had Daisy-chan since Feb 2008 and she was estimated to have
lived wild 7 years before we got her. Accounting for her time in a
no kill where she went through 5 foster-moms until no more would
take her, she's between 17 and maybe 18 now (likely). Vet concurs,
she has that distinctive 'aged kitty face' similar to what horses
and dogs get in advanced age.

It's rare for a feral to live that long wild and rarer yet for them
to find the right home to tame in. I suspect, she wanted to be
tame and safe. Well, she's safe at least (grin) and generally tame
now. We still have, and always will have issues that speak back to
her wild times. Her issues are a little different. She wasn't a
colony cat and will not tolerate another cat (considers them as
dangerous and taking her resources).

We love her and she's perfect for us.


How wonderful that you and she found each other!

Exactly! LOL, we had to sign a waiver to get her. We are however really
with happy with her.

Here's a silly bit. She learned to play the bed mice game with our
toes about 4 years in, but she inately understood real feet were there.
No bites or scratches *ever*. Just purrs and capturing paws for a
moment or so.

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