Feral Fables

Everything went fine with Snow's spay and she was back with her two litters in no time. Over the course of the next 6 months while the cats settled in on the back porch for the fall and winter, I would go out to the porch throughout the day and take toys and treats with me. While it is innate for cats to hunt and play, playing with "man-made" toys, is something they have to learn. I noticed that during these "play" sessions, Snow was very interested in the "toys." This became our key to connecting to each other. She desperately wanted to play and I desperately wanted her to become less afraid of me. I tried a variety of toys and found that she was very playful indeed with all of them. Little by little I just moved the playing closer to me. When possible, I would put my hand down and gently touch her. She would be surprised and then move away, but only for a moment. We did this little dance over and over again.

Then, one day, it all changed. It is a quite remarkable thing when it happens. All of a sudden it clicked in her head-----"that touch feels good,"-----------and she leaned into me momentarily. It happened in an instant, like turning on a light. That was the beginning of our love affair. It turns out that the most wild, most feral, most fierce cat who stood down a raccoon once--------is very loving and affectionate with me. She will come running when she hears toys being pulled out or even when she hears my voice call or my car arrive home. But she frequently comes in during the day when the porch doors are open just to see me, get head rubs,  and to "head butt" with me (this is a form of affection between cats and serves the purpose of strengthening the familial bonds).

Snow is the undeniable leader of Feral Fables as she is the oldest female. She has many ways she asserts her authority with the other cats. An unexpected bop, a hiss, a loud cranky "meow", the refusal to swish or head-butt with another member-----when I am playing with another cat, she will walk right in the middle of the whole interaction as if to say----"this is my turf, my toy and I want to play NOW!" When I talk on the phone or even have a normal conversation with my husband, Snow gets all upset and starts meowing at me loudly. If this has no effect, she will actually come and take my hand (or my foot) in her mouth as if to say, "stop or I will have to bite you!" (even though she never has). I have realized she does this because she does not really like my "normal" voice, only my high-pitched, baby-talking voice that I use with her and the other cats. Recently, my favorite thing with Snow is she jumps up and over the couch, and demands a head rub, drooling the entire time I am giving it to her. Wild, indeed!!