Here is Tom, our latest addition to the family, after four months of "adapting" to life with us. Actually, he's been around the neighborhood for some time and we decided that a) he's someone's outdoor cat that isn't really being taken care of (since we're the ones feeding him) b) he escaped someone's house and got lost or c) someone just abandoned him.
We figured it was a) because he would dissappear during the worst winter weather for a few weeks (Jan and Feb) and we assumed whoever owned him just took him in the house for a while. He never begged to get into our house, wouldn't come in even when we coaxed him with food, and avoided close contact with us for the most part. DH built him a house and filled it with straw for the cold weather.
Last December, it was a very cold day and he surprised us by reeeeaaaaallly wanting to come in. That was it. He became our cat. Our three female cats couldn't stand him, though all but one (who has a fit when he's around), have adjusted their attitudes enough to tolerate him. He still refuses to use a litter box, insisting on going outside to do his business (he's never had an accident in the house).
It's funny how he has gradually claimed the house, one room at a time over the weeks. Finally, in this picture, he discovered the warm waterbed in our guestroom, which is furthest from the family room that he stayed in for the first month and a half. The girls kept drawing the line and he kept pushing it back, progressively finding new places to sleep, until he knows our house pretty well.
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Moderator: Chris_W
Oh my gosh, Blackkat, I can't believe how much he looks like our Emmit! Same gray fur color exactly. And is that a water bed I see him sleeping on? We have one of those too with the exact same rail covers! What a coincedence. I love the name Tom for him. Poor little guy. Bless you for being his rescuer. I know you know just how I feel about my Emm. Their stories are so similar.
Thank you for making ME smile today and restoring my faith in humanity as well! You are good people.
Please give Tom a hug from me.
Thank you for making ME smile today and restoring my faith in humanity as well! You are good people.
Please give Tom a hug from me.
Wow, he looks just like......................no cat I have ever had..... 
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I just had to say that.....Seems he looks like everyones cat...
What a great story.....Bless his heart.....How many littlers do you have? They say one per cat, plus one.....I have two for Curtis....
Bless YOUR heart for taking him in.... Give a pat from Lucy!! 
............. I just had to say that.....Seems he looks like everyones cat...What a great story.....Bless his heart.....How many littlers do you have? They say one per cat, plus one.....I have two for Curtis....
Bless YOUR heart for taking him in.... Give a pat from Lucy!! -
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Old earth dog
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You guys crack me up. We had three black cats at one time (now two), and one black and white cat, so it should follow that we have a gray cat. Someday, we'll get one of those newfangled color cats.
Lionitus, yup, that is a water bed. The cats are attracted to them like magnets because they are so warm and squishy. Thank you for the well-wishes, from one cat rescuer to another.
Since our cats have claws...well, we did have an incident a few years back where a cat put a tiny enough hole in the waterbed mattress on my husband's side of the bed. The next day, he awoke slightly wet and freaked out until we figured out that it was the bed that leaked.
Pat, it's funny how some things bring back such pleasant memories. I'm glad I could share.
Snow, we do, indeed. He's a special guy and quite a survivor, having no claws. I never saw a gray cat before Tom and now I see that a lot of you have had one. That is, except for Lucy. He's had a pat from her and a hug from Lionitus and he's wondering what the heck is going on all of a sudden. 
The litter issue is intriguing. We set him up with his own litter pan when he had isolated himself in one room. After setting him in it numerous times, his response was always the same - the minute we released him, he would jump out. There's no interest. It would be nice if there was because I like to keep my cats in most of the time and worry about him a lot when he has to go out at night. Many times, he won't come back until the wee morning hours.
I don't know about the lady cats, OED. Only my most cantankerous cat, queen of the house, will sleep near him (go figure). The second cat, lowest in household rank, gives him a single swat whenever he passes by her, but otherwise ignores him. And the third one, geez, she is literally half his size and she really lays into him. If he had claws, I think things would be different. Cat behavior is interesting to watch because their personalities are soooo different.
We had three black cats at one time (now two), and one black and white cat, so it should follow that we have a gray cat. Someday, we'll get one of those newfangled color cats.Lionitus, yup, that is a water bed. The cats are attracted to them like magnets because they are so warm and squishy. Thank you for the well-wishes, from one cat rescuer to another.
Since our cats have claws...well, we did have an incident a few years back where a cat put a tiny enough hole in the waterbed mattress on my husband's side of the bed. The next day, he awoke slightly wet and freaked out until we figured out that it was the bed that leaked.
Pat, it's funny how some things bring back such pleasant memories. I'm glad I could share.
Snow, we do, indeed. He's a special guy and quite a survivor, having no claws. I never saw a gray cat before Tom and now I see that a lot of you have had one. That is, except for Lucy.
He's had a pat from her and a hug from Lionitus and he's wondering what the heck is going on all of a sudden. The litter issue is intriguing. We set him up with his own litter pan when he had isolated himself in one room. After setting him in it numerous times, his response was always the same - the minute we released him, he would jump out. There's no interest. It would be nice if there was because I like to keep my cats in most of the time and worry about him a lot when he has to go out at night. Many times, he won't come back until the wee morning hours.
I don't know about the lady cats, OED. Only my most cantankerous cat, queen of the house, will sleep near him (go figure). The second cat, lowest in household rank, gives him a single swat whenever he passes by her, but otherwise ignores him. And the third one, geez, she is literally half his size and she really lays into him. If he had claws, I think things would be different. Cat behavior is interesting to watch because their personalities are soooo different.
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doublemom2
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newtohosta-no more
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Shelly, your Tom also looks like my Banks, except that Banks was black But he had the same shaped face and the same length fur.
I hope you can get Tom to use a litter box. If I ever get another cat, I hope it will never want to leave the house. They do have a way of escaping though, and it seems like once they get the taste of outside freedom, it won't be denied.
Guess this is where logic regarding their natural instinct has to come in. I miss Banks, but I can't feel guilty about his getting out that last time.....Despite all precautions, he just managed to sneak out one too many times. And actually, it was someone that had come to visit that opened the door before I could grab the cat.
We just do the best we can do. I hope your Tom will be around for a long, long time.
I hope you can get Tom to use a litter box. If I ever get another cat, I hope it will never want to leave the house. They do have a way of escaping though, and it seems like once they get the taste of outside freedom, it won't be denied.
Guess this is where logic regarding their natural instinct has to come in. I miss Banks, but I can't feel guilty about his getting out that last time.....Despite all precautions, he just managed to sneak out one too many times. And actually, it was someone that had come to visit that opened the door before I could grab the cat.
We just do the best we can do. I hope your Tom will be around for a long, long time.
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Squash Blossom
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Our first experience with a cat was one for the books. A solid black stray decided to take up residence on our patio and naturally found his way inside without much resistance. My daughter named him Lucifer...you wouldn't think a little child would have that much insight into a cat's true personality but she pegged him right 100%!
Lucifer was his own man. He didn't want to be petted, he'd eat if the mood struck him, he'd almost get vicious if he was forced to stay inside when he wanted to go out and once out, he'd throw himself against the door to get back in...but, animal lover that I am, I was determined to reform him.
It never happened. One night Lucifer went out and he never came back. He'd disappeared several times and would come home with no appetite and smelling like perfume so we thought he was also hanging out with someone else.
BUT...unable to shake my fear that something dreadful could or had happened to him, I walked all over my neighborhood clapping my hands and calling for "Lucifer" which is why some people still probably think I'm insane.
It was several months later before I finally found Lucifer. He had relocated his peculiar self back app. 3-4 blocks from our house with an elderly retired librarian who absolutely adored him and he seemed to feel likewise.
In retrospect I think Lucifer probably belonged to this woman originally and probably was nearly crazy from my efforts to keep him inside and make a proper gentleman of him!!
Ann
Lucifer was his own man. He didn't want to be petted, he'd eat if the mood struck him, he'd almost get vicious if he was forced to stay inside when he wanted to go out and once out, he'd throw himself against the door to get back in...but, animal lover that I am, I was determined to reform him.
It never happened. One night Lucifer went out and he never came back. He'd disappeared several times and would come home with no appetite and smelling like perfume so we thought he was also hanging out with someone else.
BUT...unable to shake my fear that something dreadful could or had happened to him, I walked all over my neighborhood clapping my hands and calling for "Lucifer" which is why some people still probably think I'm insane.
It was several months later before I finally found Lucifer. He had relocated his peculiar self back app. 3-4 blocks from our house with an elderly retired librarian who absolutely adored him and he seemed to feel likewise.
In retrospect I think Lucifer probably belonged to this woman originally and probably was nearly crazy from my efforts to keep him inside and make a proper gentleman of him!!
Ann
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.
Shelly, what a sweet story and Tom is such a handsome guy! Love the picture of him snuggled up on the waterbed!
"A friend is someone who knows the song of your soul and sings it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
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Old earth dog
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