I've been befriended by a raggedy one-eyed tom cat

[cherish44]

He's scary looking. Kind of looks like a lion, big mane, long skinny tail with a little tuft at the end. He has one eye, barely has ears and he's been hanging around for some time. Well I being an utter softy took pity on the old boy tonight and finally tried to pet him. He immediately stuck his chin in the air in complete joy and started purring loudly. I sat down on the steps and he curled up on my lap, in blissful content as I stroked his fur. Awwwwwwwwww he's so soft for such a rough looking kitty. Anyway I like new friends, just had to share :)

[david13]

1. Be nice to him. He needs a friend. dc

[csziggy]

2. My little sister once adopted a cat like that

He was the sweetest cat we owned as kids. He had lived a rough life on the streets and was grateful for a good home in his retirement. He was so ugly we named him Monster, but he had the best disposition.

You are a sweet person - are you adopting him?

[cherish44]

4. Not officially, I've been feeding him for some time

and he's well nourished at least. I have a "kitty hotel" on my property, which is basically an old shed. It has shelves and I put blankets in there and food and water for the homeless cats in my neighborhood. There's a little peephole "door" that they crawl in and out of. I have about 2 that are permanent residents and "Zant" the raggedy tom cat, comes and goes. He's the only one that tame enough to be handled. I'd love to adopt another cat but I can't at the moment so this is the best I can do. I'm going to try to relocate a few of the homeless cats to a farm, I have a friend who has a dairy farm and needs some resident mouser/barn cats. He treats his cats really well so I'm hoping to set up some live traps and move a few out to the country.

[Flaxbee]

5. thank you for doing this for cats, cherish44....

glad to hear Zant is getting regular food. We have 6 cats, plus one raggedy ole' scrapper tomcat we feed regularly. If this was my permanent home, I'm sure I'd have a kitty hotel set up, too.

[csziggy]

25. Good to hear he (and the other ferals) are getting fed and housed

We get cats dropped off here at the farm, but with my own to care for, I can't keep them around. At the moment, our barn cat is a semi-feral tabby that loves to be petted, but who will claw your arm off if you try to hold on to her. I need to get shots for her, but the last time I captured her and took her to the vet, one of their people had to get stitches and they let me know Gloria will not be welcomed back.

I don't think I will adopt another barn cat once Gloria passes (she's sixteen). The foxes have taken over much of the barn cat duties and I may just let them continue.

[Flaxbee]

3. aw, what a sweet fella, looking for a good friend.

I hope you can continue to give him some love (and food??)

[SeattleGirl]

6. Big scary fella just needed some lovin's.

Thank you for providing that for him.

[Richard Steele]

7. We recently lost our resident "Raggedy Tomcat"...

He was a nasty, time-worn, mean-looking thing...and just about
the sweetest, most gentle-natured cat I've ever met.

He hung around here for about 3 years, and then he just wasn't here
anymore 2 weeks ago.

:cry:

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Maybe you could try to get him inside before the winter.....

[zanne]

9. I have a cat like that.

His name is Sam and he has one ear that was very frosbitten at one time. His other ear is just gone. His tail is half gone and about 2 inches of it is hairless. He's made like a bulldog. The first reaction people have when they see him is "What's that"? At the shelter, nobody dared go near his cage and they used special gloves when they handled him. They called him "Tank". I was fostering him when I decided to keep him. We developed a bond, and even though I can't pick him up, he's managed to trust me enough to be my buddy. He's the first "polite" cat I've ever known. He won't even enter a room unless he gets the OK from me. It was at least a year before he jumped up on a chair. I've had him for five years and he still doesn't meow, unless he's sick. I keep waiting for him to act spoiled, like my other cats. I wish he would; then I'd know he was completely relaxed.

It's a shame that some cats, like Sam, are passed over because they're scared and act out, or don't look very good. Underneath the hissing and rough looks, some of them are just sweethearts. I'm so glad I have Sam. He teaches me, every day, that I'm fortunate to have a warm home, a place to rest my head and plenty of good food to eat.

[woo me with science]

10. I love stories like this.

You are a good soul. :)

[stray cat]

11. He may have once had a happy home and has had to survive on the streets

[cherish44]

12. Yeah I'm sure that's the case

The true feral cats here are way too shy to let me get too close. Although there are a few who will let me pet them while they're eating. I went outside this morning and the raggedy tom was sitting on my neighbor's fence and immediately came over and jumped right up on my lap. Yeah he's starved for affection! (he's a real sweetie). I can't keep him inside but like I said, I do have a place he and the other cats can take shelter. They're all pretty well fed, my neighbor is an old retired guy and he feeds the cats 3 times a day. My only concern is they're, well, making more cats. I know a vet who will spade and neuter rescue street cats pretty cheap but the hard part is catching them without traumatizing them.

[Bertha Venation]

14. You are a good soul.

Let me know if you'd like any information about how to get them in to be spayed and neutered.

:hug: Good for you.

[cherish44]

16. Yeah they need to be fixed

I see at least two preggo mommy cats running around. It's getting cold so I know the babies probably won't survive. If I can catch any, I'll take them to a vet who offers spaying to feral and rescue cats for a discount. Otherwise I know some farms that looking to hire some kitties for rodent extermination (providing they'll work for food).

[Bertha Venation]

17. Your local humane society will lend you traps

and you can get a lot of good info and instructions from www.alleycat.org

Good luck!

[stray cat]

15. I lost my pampered cat in the wild for a month and found her almost dead

I'm really glad this poor little guy has met a friend to help!

[ThomCat]

31. Wow. I am so sorry that happened to her.

I am glad you found her. I hope she was able to recover and was okay afterward. :(

[stray cat]

34. She had two pretty good years afterwards but it took a year before she would play again

She was an awesome cat and I'm glad I got her back even if just for a short time

[Captain Hilts]

13. Wow. How lucky you are!

[NJmaverick]

18. Does he look something like this?

[cherish44]

22. Well not quite Bill the Cat but similar LOL

nt

[charlie and algernon]

19. Thread. Useless. Pics. You know the drill

;-)

Congratulations on adopting, or at least taking care of a cat.

[cherish44]

21. I'll try to get a picture of him when I get home from work

He looks like a raggedy miniature lion... yellow, with a big mane. He's pretty good sized and seems healthy other than he's missing an eye and is a little rough around the edges

[charlie and algernon]

23. sounds like he's got some Maine Coon in him

[Blue Diadem]

20. Awww, some of those big tuff guys are the biggest sweethearts!

He's so lucky to have you. Thank you for being there for the kitties.

[Arugula Latte]

24. Thanks for helping this poor guy.

:applause:

[cherish44]

26. Here he is

The eye patch was obviously added by me because the missing eye might be upsetting to some. My daughter named him Zant after a Legend of Zelda character, I thought it just fit him :)

[driver8]

28. Awww..., what a sweet boy!

He looks like he would love to live in your house! (hint, hint!).

[Sanity Claws]

29. He has a sad wary expression

The shed is better than being out on the street but he could use a real home, one with laps and petting hands.

I admire you for taking care of the little pirate.

[david13]

30. What a beautiful cat. dc

[david13]

36. He's not raggedy, he's fluffy. dc

[MissMillie]

37. handsome kitty!

:loveya:

[Taverner]

27. You and he need to bond over some catnip

[enigmatic]

32. He's a crusty sweetheart

Thank you for taking care of him :hug:

[cherish44]

33. He is a sweetheart

This morning I went to feed the cats and sat down on the porch he jumped right up on my lap again. Just curled up and purred. Makes me think he was probably someone's pet and either got lost or abandoned. Anyway I'm honored that he's chosen to trust me, he's had a rough life obviously.

[Arkansas Granny]

35. I have an old tom cat like that. He was abandoned in the neighborhood

about 7 years ago and I've been looking out for him ever since. He is really a rough looking old boy with a head that looks way too big for his body and comes with lots of tatters and scars. It took years to gain his trust enough before I could even touch him and even now it's something that he won't allow very often. I can't leave food outside for him (possums), so I've taught him to come in and out of the pet door my cat uses. I've tried making a shelter for him on the porch, but he refuses to use it. He's an off and on again cat and sometimes I won't see him for weeks at a time, but he knows he can always stop by for a meal and a place to get out of the weather, if he chooses. Surprisingly enough, even when he decides to stay in the house for a few hours or overnight, he has never sprayed and never shows any aggression towards my cat (a spayed female).