Gotcha Days

My three amigos!

It was 2004.
One night my husband and I were sitting in the front bedroom and I heard meows. Crying.

Thinking that someone's cat was visiting, I didn't consider it any further.

A few days later as we were doing some outside work, I walked by the front entryway to our home. (We always use the back entry)
There in the chair on the atrium was a Tuxie and a grey Tabby cat.

When they saw us they both ran.
But almost immediately the grey Tabby came right back.
So I said let's go get them something to eat.
As soon as the tuna was out, the black Tuxie was back.
And then out of the bushes a Orange Tabby jumped out.
He was the most skittish.
In fact he would not let you approach him at all.

But both the Tuxie and the grey Tabby were tame(so was the orange tabby!)
Some "kind" person had casually dropped off these three and drove away.
We think that they were dropped off at the corner of our house, and that they
went to the closet house, because they were used to being indoors.

Not knowing anything about cats, we had a learning curve.
They became our outside kitties,but not for long
First they moved into the garage.
Soon Boo moved inside the house, then one day Ping went missing.
*sigh* The story of his life!
So we couldn't leave Jinx outside by himself, so he came in.
Then Ping showed back up.
So he moved in too.

We know now that the 'kind' person who dumped the three of them couldn't handle Ping. He was and is a character. Since being with us the past 7 years he has grown to feel more secure. He still has issues and we just deal with them without punishment because Ping is such a loving soul. He is a sweet gentle playful boy. But he has his insecurities. He can't be criticized. He has come a long way but his issues I think they will always be with him. We love him unconditionally, but I will tell you he has tried my patience on many an occasion, and he does get time outs on the back porch. He is so sad when I put him out and after awhile when I have calmed myself, I feel so bad because he has such a mournful look on his face. He does not like being alone.

Jinx has remained the same, the only throwback to those days when he was homeless is that he is food oriented. He is afraid I feel that whatever meal it is is his last. He is my most insistent on eating on schedule.

Boo has changed over the years. She used to be very aloof. Now when she is alone with me (away from Abby) she wants attention and she must sleep next to me, nearly on top of me, every night. So her aloofness and seeming icy demeanor is more show than reality.

So now we do celebrate 7 years.
I can't quite grasp it has been that long.
I am so thankful to that 'kind' person for gifting them to me.
It goes to show that old cliche about one person's trash is another treasure is so true.
They are my treasures, and I do totally treasure each day with them.