7-21-23

 

BC has always been a wiry cat, slender and graceful, but always looking as if a few pounds wouldn’t hurt.  But ever since her kitten died, she had gotten scary-thin.  You would think that having long fur would disguise her emaciated look, but even so, she looks bad.    The coat itself is lackluster, patchy and pathetic.   I worry about her.

     She first showed up late last summer.   Her coat was beautiful then, long and silky, without a hint of white, pure black.  She was friendly and bright-eyed.  She begged to be petted and was grateful for the food always left out for kitties.  But when it started getting cold, I invited her in.  She wanted to come.  She pawed at the door.  But then she saw the other cats and she freaked.   She hissed.  She ran away.  Several time I tried getting her inside where it was warm, but she was having none of it.  She did not like or trust other cats at all.  Even on the coldest days she would come close, then flee as it being chased by the hells of Hades.  She would have nothing to do with those of her kind.

        I put up a shelter for her which she ignored.   She moved in under the porch.  Sadly, she became a very good hunter, taking down the birds, sometimes in mid-flight.  I had to put up all sorts of protections around the feeders.  That helped the birds and she made do with the dry food I left out for her.    Then, mid spring of this year, she suddenly showed up with a tiny kitten, a beautiful gray stripped bit of fur, name Tony, because we didn’t really know the gender. 

        Tony was a trip.  More personality than the law should allow.  And Tony and BC were beautiful to watch.  It made your heart melt to see them together.   Tony slept curled up with his mother around him.  They played wonderful games.  He explored with wide eyes the whole back yard.

        Originally, I had planned on trapping the kitten, taming it and finding a home for it, but after watching the two of them,  BC and the kitten, I decided that I needed to trap both of them, neuter them and move them back into my yard.  They needed each other.  I have never seen two cats who did so well together.  Little BC, who hated all other cats had finally found her soulmate.   She must have been very lonely before.
        But then the accident happened, and Tony died.  BC mourned for days.  She called for him, kept on looking for him.  Then she disappeared for more than a week.
        She is back now, still friendly, but painfully thin.  The spark is very low in her.
        I had started feeding her canned cat food when I first saw the kitten, have a can per day.  But now, with her being so thin, she gets a full can.    Ironic, the feral cat gets better food than all my indoor cats – and they are very well aware of that.
        This morning, she fell on the food as if she hasn’t eaten in days.  So thin.   I petted her as she ate, but there was no purr.  She was slightly desperate to eat, so I left her to her feast.   Other ferals came in for breakfast, she hissed at then, protecting her food, then disappearing for the day.
        My heart aches for her, alone, solitary, thin.
No cat, no human should ever be alone like that.