Garden Cat

Yet another apparently homeless cat has befriended my wife. It’s getting so that M is afraid to step out into the yard lest some other feline come out of the garden in back, calling “Hey, lady! Hey, lady!”

Yeah, kind of funny. And kind of not.

This fella appeared a few days ago, much like other strays that pass through our yard. Unlike those others, though, he is exceedingly friendly - much more so than recent stray and current occupant Jack had been - and thinks nothing of coming right up to you for a petting. Good-looking cat. On the lean side, but otherwise healthy from all outward appearances. He was obviously jonesing for a meal, but we resisted feeding him - for a while. “If we feed him, you know what it means,” I warned M. “I know,” replied M. “We’ll be responsible for him,” I said. “I know,” M said.

So we fed him - and have been feeding him, twice a day, morning and evening, ever since. Having reached this stage of a relationship with him, it seemed only appropriate to grant him a name, but we have not yet settled on one. We’ve referred to him variously as Garden Cat, Orange Cat, Marmalade Cat, Lionel or Leon (the last two due to the leonine cast of his face). Terribly inventive names, to be sure.

He looks like he has a line in his neck fur that might have been left by a collar, and he certainly behaves like a cat who is accustomed to belonging to someone. If we let him, he’d march right into the house. I’ve seen no “lost cat” signs in the neighborhood, though. I guess it’s possible that he’s one of the feral cats who live at the nearby lumber yard, but…well, I dunno.

So there it is, and there’s our problem. This cat is a real sweetie, very affectionate, but there’s no question of our taking him in. Our hands are more than full just now with the recent acquisition of Jack - who, incidentally, has made his opinion quite clear regarding the interloper outside. Arched back, low growls, so on and on. Nope, no room at the inn for a Kitty Number Six.

Instead, we hope to find someone else willing to take “Leon” in. We had a couple of prospects, but that number shrank to one. With luck, that one will work out. If not…well, “free cat to good home” if you live in St. Louis metro. Email me.

Similar posts:
A message from Leon
Garden Cat update
Garden Cat goes to the vet
Jack
Kitty City: Population, eight