Trying to pet my old feral cat, Animal Advocates, Mary Cummins

This is "Dead Kitty." She's over 23 years old and feral. After having her in my house for over a year I'm now trying to pet her for the first time. Since this time I can pet her no problem while she's eating only. She likes to hang out in my office and I can throw cat treats to her from across the room. She purrs while looking at me, and while eating.

Someone borrowed one of my traps to trap an injured raccoon in a feral cat colony. Instead they trapped this kitty. They thought something was wrong with her so they brought her to me. I took her for a full checkup at the vet and she's just old. I didn't have the heart to let her go back to her feral colony at this age so now she lives with me. She can go out the cat door to sun herself in my totally enclosed rear yard but only goes out a few times a year. She likes it inside. She has no teeth, is totally deaf and has a bit of arthritis.

UPDATE: 2008. Dead Kitty woke up, meowed for breakfast then had a heart attack and died instantly. At least it was quick. She was 24 years old. I thought she'd only live a few months when I got her but she lived another two years. She will be missed :-( As soon as I'm over the grief, I'll go adopt another cat.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• feral
• cat
• hissing
• pet
• petting
• animal advocates
• mary cummins

[ker246]

Wow, I didn't even know cats could live to be 24!! You're so nice for taking care of her.

[MaryCummins]

@ker246 Some cats have lived over 36 years. I have another 23 year old cat now but he may have cancer on his nose.

[1lightspeed]

OMG Mary! I was just looking at some cat videos on YouTube...and YOU POP UP?! I'm really not believing this! You are the same one that just posted your rescue of the white dog on FaceBook! Damn! I'm Deb Conner

[MaryCummins]

@1lightspeed It's a small world. The internet is getting smaller every day. Happy Holidays!

[92stoner]

Mate wat u have done is really kind and nice.. this world needs more people like you, my mum has tamed 2 stray cats and other cats come to my house for food.. i have no idea what people think of us as,(crazy animal lovers) lol i dont care but i know to many people who buy pets and treat them like toys or they act like there their just to shout at.. im not ashamed at all to say i hate the human race compared to any animal, ALL my pets show more afection that most people i have ever met do.

[LoveSilkribboner]

i saw your comment did you know that hemp oil cures cancer? well for humans but since certain animals human traits it might work on cats . 

[Rizzolification]

I have 2 ferals and one stray I'm caring for. The ferals are as ferals are, very shy but finally....the one I call sophie is starting to tolerate my presence, she doesn't run as far as she once did.....I aim to pet her one of these days...her brother "ghost" on the other hand is much more cautious. I call the stray Chat L'Orange and he loves to be petted but is not much for being indoors alot.

[walk4trot2canter3]

My feral cats love me and the food I provide, yet won't let me touch them. Not even the baby. But they will rub their bodies against my legs and feet! I love my feral cats!

[chrismc410]

Poor kitty

[dinomon]

I like her!

[Oldbmwr100rs]

My dad had an old feral cat that would sneak in to eat his cat's food.I say sneak, but actually you could hear him struggling his way up the flight of stairs, gasping and wheezing like he's been smoking all his life! That poor old cat sure went through a lot to get to a plate of canned food though,and we were happy to let him.

[MikroBadass]

you did good Mary

[AngieL2310]

Aww. Poor old kitty. It's amazing that she made it to 24 with her being essentially wild.I have a kitty that is kinda like that. He was not entirely feral, but had obviously been abandoned a long time ago. It took a year for him to start warming up to us. He still doesn't like other people. I would take him in in a heartbeat if I could, but there are allergies that I have to worry about. :( Still, he gets fed everyday, and has a really nice cat house. He also gets lots of attention. :D

[The3rdArmored]

@CakeMace:

Troll much?