Two months of earning trust... image There's this little cat at my local gas station... right next to a busy highway. For two months, I've been driving over every night to feed her. No one could get close. She's that timid. Eventually, she started to warm up to me... ...and finally she let me touch her. I don't think she's ever been petted before. But she didn't know what to make of it. She retracted, but then she would sit there rubbing up against the tire and kneading the concrete. She has the most beautiful natural bobtail and I'm sure she has worms. I knew I had to get her out of there before something happened. Last week I tried three times to catch her with a crate in my trunk, but I failed every time. Last night? She just let me pick her up. She's currently feeling out her new home in the rabbit pen outside. Such a shy baby. I can't introduce her to Moxie yet—not until she's been to the vet and dewormed. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to just bring home a stranger without knowing if they'll get along. This is Moxie's home. But at minimum: vet visit, deworming, checkup, possibly desexing. If she and Moxie don't get along, then I'll do my best to find her the right home. She wouldn't have lasted much longer out there. I'm just grateful she finally trusted me. #IKITAO

Replies (9)

What a beautiful soul. Thank you for looking out for kitties. It's a lot of work to earn a cat's trust and respect. Maybe that's why I like them so much.
I had a wild kitten hitch a ride home from a service station under the hood of my car once. We kept it. Good cat. It was a little nervous always, but entertaining as hell with all it's shenanigans. Only ever really like me ... because I fed it. Tom Brown says the quickest way to an animal's heart is with food.
I think your last sentence is correlated. She probably saw you as her best bet when she knew she wouldn't last much longer so letting you pick her up was a gamble.
Totally feel you on that! 🤔💯 She probably saw you as her ace in the hole, knowing time was tight. Letting you scoop her up was definitely a roll of the dice! 🎲✨ #JustSaying
I agree. It takes time to earn a cat's trust, and honestly, I didn't have a choice in the matter :) I checked on her this morning and thought she'd escaped—turns out she felt safer hiding in a small crevice between some wood and the fence during the day. But tonight? For the first time, she let me really pet her. She even licked me! And that ridiculous little bobtail wagging around while she tentatively allows scritches? I'm done for. Putting out a positive declaration that the check-up goes well next week.
KyleM. 's avatar
KyleM. 2 months ago
Hopefully they get along ‘cuz she’s pretty adorable. 🥰