Meet 'Ginger' a semi-feral cat who's been kicking around the area for years.
First noticed the cat last winter when it was half starved. It walked past me when I was chatting to a neighbour. I never forgot this poor cat and slowly got some information.
A few streets away this cat had a home. It left for a couple of years only to return a bit wild. The owners didn't know what to do with the cat anymore as they got a dog. So the cat left, not welcome at it's own home and the owners sadly didn't try to get it some help even though they'd often see it around.
Fast forward a few years... and since about 3 months this cat has been coming into our garden sporadically, to eat hedgehog food. I tried to set up a feeding pattern with the aim of getting some help but the cat just didn't come often enough - but in the meantime, we attracted neighbourhood cats to eat the free food, much to our Lucy's disgust and fear. I stopped feeding neighbourhood cats as it just wasn't helping the cat that needed it but last week I found out that another neighbour in the retirement village around the corner has been feeding it for months!
Absolutely delighted as I thought Ginger was getting food from somewhere as it no longer looked so thin. I went and asked the neighbour if he'd keep feeding the cat until I could get a space at a rescue centre sorted and he kindly agreed.
Most rescue centres are full at the moment as it's kitten season and the waiting list several months long but one, up in Saffron Walden had a space. 2 days ago they lent us a trap and this morning, bingo! One cat ready to be taken to the rescue centre to get some TLC, checked over by a vet and rehomed.
As the cat is now semi-feral, it has little trust of humans and isn't keen on other cats, they already have a place in mind all being well and that's to live on a farm... Not the spoiled cat it deserves to be but at least it will have a warm home, regular meals and any medical attention it may need in future. It also won't be crossing busy roads like it does here and eating goodness knows what to survive.
Can't help but think if those original owners had helped this cat, then perhaps it may have been quick enough to help it learn some trust of people and have a new home. As it is, living life on the streets for a few years I think the damage can't be undone. People infuriate me!
Oh bless him but a farm sounds ideal and he’s no doubt a good mouser as well. Our old cat went missing for 8 weeks and was never really the same cat again though she did get spoilt by two households for years afterwards (ours and next door!)
