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The Cat Who Came In From The Cold

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The cat who came in from the cold has a new official status: formerly feral.

formerly feral-cat-Domino

A week ago our feral boy Domino escaped the snow storm and entered a new life. For days he planted himself in an old cat bed far too small for his stocky body. He spilled out, lopsided like a boat about to capsize. Out of dozens of choices to sleep on, this was his choice and he oozed contentment so who was I to dissuade him? I draped his old blanket around it to make it bigger.

formerly feral cat

In the past week he’s made two quick treks upstairs but it remains out of his comfort zone. He likes the livingroom best; ideally close to his dad.

formerly feral cat

formerly feral cat safe places

Domino expressed no interest in the outdoors until Tuesday when he and Odin played tag and gamboled on the lawn as usual. As if on cue, they returned for dinner. The transistion for Domino appeared so seamless and effortless, I thought it too good to be true. It was.

On Thursday, he refused to come in for dinner, so I brought his dish near the door, he came in, I closed the door. Shortly afterward heard a loud scratching and clawing at the door to go out. Not wanting to associate anything negative with being indoors, I let him out. Every hour, I’d check up an him, “Are you ready to come in? No? Okay. Are you cold enough? No, fine. Odin wants to play with you.” Finally at bedtime he agreed and curled up in his rocky boat bed. The same thing happened yesterday and it’s clear Rome nor formerly feral cats aren’t made in a day, but we’re making mega strides. Stayed tuned…

formerly feral- cat-cartoon

Meanwhile, Merlin and Gris Gris napped on the sunny porch, weather permitting and Odin excelled at being Odin.

caturday -cats- nap a thon

Since the weather is cooler, we’re spending less time outdoors. That means Odin needs more indoor play and exercise. Without access to his favorite outdoor scratching posts and bored with his indoor ones, he exercised his creativity by finding novels places to nap and scratch.

feline-cat nap-box-funny

With cats we never know what they’re going to do next, do we? It’s up to us to provide enough play and stimulation to avoid behavioral issues.

feline fun-naughty kitty- cat wisdom 101

24 Comments

  • Marg

    Your wild boy looks like my girl olive , I bought her as rag doll kitten with her sister Daisy,Olive has similar markings to your boy.Olive has as much ragdoll as he does lol.Daisy none at all. But I love them both. Your cats look much loved and pampered. Mine are too.
    Daisy and Olive are the first cats I have ever purchased. They just come to me, even the really wild moth eaten mangy runny eyed flea bags who have arrived on my doorstep ,soon become used to the good life and become desexed fat sleek regal cats they were meant to be. They know it, and anyway who doesn’t love a challenge?

  • Oui Oui

    We are so thrilled every time a kitty decides to become formerly feral. We’ve had a few, but Mica Moo has been the biggest challenge. The mom wonders if there was some abuse in her past. Is there anyway to tell? Probably not, cats are such individuals. Funny thing about our formerly ferals, none of them has ever shown any interest in going Out There again.

  • Random Felines

    Oh Domino – mom wants to kiss those big mancat cheeks – but she will resist until you are more comfortable. We hope it happens quickly – it will be OK.

    Oh, and we have no idea why Odin got in trouble for the new scratchy place…..

  • Cheysuli

    He’ll gradually start learning that he likes in there. Georgia would go for long periods of outside and come in only for meal time and then want out. After awhile she started enjoying inside more and more.

  • Marg

    Oh Domino, we are so proud of you for coming in the house. Good for Dad for making friends with you. When it turns cold again, I bet he will be inside. The cats here that live outside mainly do want to come in when the weather turns. This just makes our Mom so very happy. Thanks Odin for befriending Dom. Great news.

  • Rumpy Drummond

    Hello! We have two former ferals. One is totally assimilated and one would never know but for the tip on her ear. The other is afraid of most everything and spends a good deal of time on top of the kitchen cabinets when Jen is awake and at home- close but not too close. And yet Hissy Fit Jones comes to Jen’s bed every morning for petting and attention. Since none of our kitties go out that is not an issue for us. We just let him be who he is and accept him on his terms.

  • Caren Gittleman

    Domino is probably just testing the waters. He wants to make sure like a commitment-phobic man, that should he want to leave the relationship he has that option! I am betting since you are not pressuring him to stay, he will want to be inside all the more.

    He has exquisite eyes!

  • CATachresis

    Perhaps you’ve hit the nail on the head!! Domino thinks he’s losing his catness and is fighting to the last to retain it. It’s only a matter of time (which, after all, is a human construct! Errr is it?) lol

    • boomermuse

      Thanks for reminding us that all 12 of you are formerly feral!
      @Austin, let’s hope so.
      @Caren, “testing the waters”, exactly!
      @Rumpy, I didn’t know about the two ferals. Must stop by.
      @Marg, I knew you’d be thrilled. You’ve followed his escapades longer than anyone online.

  • Pam Kimmell

    What wonderful strides you’ve made in getting Domino to give the indoors a chance. He looks comfortable indoors – and even in his capsizing boat bed, he appears content. The call of the wild may fade even more over winter when the snow keeps him IN!

    Yippeeee!
    Pam and Sam

    • boomermuse

      Ingrid, he’s not out of the woods yet, so to speak. He refused to come in last night so we plugged in his electric heating pad on the porch. He came inside for his breakfast and is out again, but it’s a beautiful day and it will take a little more time for the transition.

  • Kathryn

    Oh I just love Domino so much. And Odin. And all the boys. But Dom and Odin the best. Amazing that Dom really made it inside. I was so worried last winter about him.

    Are your boys writing a book? They should!

    • boomermuse

      Kathryn, it’s going to take a while but once it turns icy, I think he’ll choose wisely. I wish the boys would write a book and give time to focus on my other writing.
      @Milo & Alfie, thanks for appreciating his loveliness.
      @Fisher, every day is an adventure 😉
      @Pam & Sam, love what you said: “The call of the wild may fade even more over winter when the snow keeps him IN!”

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