7 stray and abused animals turn into beloved pets: Before and after pics

[Emit]

66. Tom, thank you so much for this post and your lovely story.

Very well told!

It brought to my mind the many quasi-feral cats I tried to tame as a little kid in Monticello, AK and all the scratches I earned as a result! I spent most summers there at my grandparents' house and they had a perpetual colony of cats living in the honeysuckle bushes out back of their house. We'd lure and try to catch the babies - convinced we could tame them. I was driven to earn their trust.

I can hear my grandma now - "Don't bring that nasty cat inside, now, ya hear?! They got fleas!!" But she always fed them - leftover beans, rice, rinds, old cornbread - whatever we had for dinner is what those cats ate. I imagine they couldn't be considered completely feral because they'd come around during feeding time and rub up against. We were able to hold and pet some of them, especially the younger ones who'd had more human contact. Sometimes it'd take me all summer, though, just to get one to trust me enough not to bolt. I agree - there is something profound and moving about winning the trust of a feral animal.