Trying to Pet a Feral Cat

Fourth of July 2017

Hmmm. Something interesting happened at this morning’s feeding. As usual, Fluffy greeted me at the foot of the stairs, and as usual, I reached out to try and pet her. Naturally she shied away but not fast enough, and I was able to touch the tip of her tail. She turned around almost in shock, as if to say, “that didn’t hurt, I thought it would feel like fire, but it didn’t hurt at all.” Still, she takes her cues from Bag, and he was more adamant than usual and stayed even further away. Fluffy would make a nice house cat, that is if she wasn’t so feral. She’s very gregarious and beautiful and for the most part seems quite calm. Bag on the other hand, I can tell he has a temper.

Later

We were going out on an excursion, and I can’t stress how hot it is, it’s just hot to a miserable degree. The humidity makes it worse. Usually there’s a breeze on this side of the hill that faces the Mediterranean, but not today. So again, I’m clomping down the steps and even though Fluffy has already been fed and didn’t even eat all that I gave her, she’s waiting expecting more.

Well, she wasn’t going to get anymore, at least not today. Bag was lying in the backyard surrounded by felines. Besides Fluffy, there was Black Cat, Black Tail, and a new cat which has a white underbelly and what could be described as a grey mask and cape – which includes the tail. I named her Mask and Cape, Mask for short. She’s a cute cat, and someone must have told her if she begs hard enough I’ll feed her. That’s exactly what she did. So I had to hurry back upstairs in this gawdawful heat and fill up a bowl with food.

I gave her some in the shade where Bag was hanging out with his harem. Although Fluffy didn’t mind the other girls hanging around, she would not allow Mask to eat in her and Bag’s territory. Mask and I didn’t know this. Mask was happily munching away and even though I gave Fluffy and Bag some more food, she gave Mask the evil eye. She rushed up to Mask and scared her off. I took Mask’s food and put it farther away – not far enough. Fluffy wouldn’t allow it. I took the food and placed it around the bushes near the sidewalk. No can do, Fluffy still wouldn’t allow it.

I walked along the sidewalk with Mask in front of me begging for food and I set it down far enough away so Fluffy wouldn’t bother anyone. From nowhere, Patch appears and wants to be fed too. Luckily I had brought a lot of food and was able to feed that little guy (gal?) too.