December 03, 2014

Stubs' Year Anniversary

About one year ago I took in a feral cat from Dani's barn.  This was a barn that had lots of comings and goings and not the most safe location for a kitty to live since they could easily end up in the garage or in a random horse trailer headed who knows!  One year ago I took in a feral cat not knowing what would happen and was greatly rewarded!

When I first moved Dani to the KCRC riding club boarding facility I noticed a cute little bobbed cat running around.  N, a boarder at the time told me about her releasing three kittens to live there and be barn cats.


They never became human friendly since I think the release was too sudden and they didn't really have human interaction.  Still we both left out dry cat food and the cat food would disappear


I often found the one cat I saw between the barn wall and my hay bales.  I nicknamed her Stubs though at the time I was thinking "boy".  I have mostly male animals, or had I guess I should say.  I tend to think of critters in the male sex but now that I have a mare and a female cat or course that perspective has changed.


The summer of 2013 Stubs had a litter of kittens in the lean to nearest Black Forest Road.  Those kittens were eventually adopted since that boarder took care of them.  Stubs was very skittish at the time.  That November Stubs started hanging around Dani's stall when I would feed her, so I started talking to her and began feeding her yummy wet food.


It became apparent that she wanted to have a human friend or some type of company so I talked with a co-worker who had trapped a feral cat and borrowed his trap to get this little girl captured and spayed at least.  Little did I know how much she would warm up to me and my household.....mainly my current house cat Armani.


It took several weeks in the guest bedroom to bond and earn her trust and then introduce her to Armani and then my two dogs.  Eventually my little kitty became a full blown member of the household with no thought about returning to the barn.  I was pretty happy since outdoor cats do live shorter lives.  


We had some bumps along the road when I was given bad advice of "forced love" from a vet tech, hence I have a permanent scar on my arm but I look at it fondly now.  Stubs has become such a sweet cat who follows me around, hangs out with me and loves on Armani.  He is infatuated with her!  Things couldn't be better.


Now my little baby hangs out on my messy desk....lounging like the spoiled house cat she has become.


She watches me where ever I am.  I can't put my contacts in my eyes each morning without her under my arms purring and walking about my "vanity area".  I can't put on my pants without her winding in and out of my legs.  I can't sit at my desk to surf the net or work without having her try to cuddle with my hands on the keyboard.


She is full of fun and she's curious as.....a cat.  Steve and I brought out the nail guns and air compressor for my dad to use since he wants to finish his and my mom's basement.  We took the guns out of the bag and in popped the little kitty.  "What?  This bag isn't my new bed?!!!!"


She's my little bundle of complete love and joy.  Armani is a love bug too, don't get me wrong....but Stubs has bonded to me and claimed ME as her person.  Armani is more of a daddy's boy even though my lap gets chosen on occasion.

She looks grumpy here but is slow blinking and purring up a storm

Stubs is happy and healthy aside from what I think is an food allergy we are working to solve (notice some of the ouchies on her neck etc.).  Hopefully we can find out what food is causing that issue and get her healed up since I know she's itchy.



Anyways, my baby Stubs is such a lovey little girl and I'm so glad she decided to adopt me and have me be her care taker.  I feel lucky every day!!

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