Tuxedo's Tale: Part One

Tuxedo's Tale: Part One

In the early autumn of 2018, I was in my backyard, when I saw something moving across my neighbor's yard. It was a black cat that that I'd seen on occasion since early spring, a feral. I thought it lived in a dilapidated, unused garage off my alley. I'd seen it many times, but this time something was different.

It was the way it was holding its paw up. It was obvious they couldn't put any weight on it. I watched the cat as it was stalking some prey... a mouse, a mole, a bird. I had no idea what they managed to live on. They were already so skinny. Now, I am not a cat man, but one thing was very obvious to me; that poor thing was going to starve to death if someone didn't help them. That hurt paw was a real game killer.

A Kitty Bandito

I went to my ex and asked what he thought I should do. He's gotten very used to my desire to rescue every stray I see, and he repeated the same phrase that he's been saying to me for years, "You can't save them all." Well, that didn't sit right with me at all. 

I decided it couldn't hurt to leave a small bowl of the dog kibble out near the back of the garage by the alley. At least that way I would know that the cat had access to something. 

The first day, I checked the bowl and all I had managed to attract was a bunch of bugs. I cleaned out the bowl and reset it. The next time I checked, it was completely empty. Now this was dog food, but apparently a hungry cat knows not the difference, so I stayed the course for the week.

Then it occurred to me that I might double my chances if I also had a bowl of food on the front stoop of the house. The yard is fenced, but I knew the fence had never stopped a cat before. Also, if I could get the cat to come to our front door, maybe I could help it even more.

Catnip Fever

Sure enough, before long, the front bowl would be empty. Periodically, in the evening, I began checking the bowl. And one night, lo and behold, there they were... that black cat. The moment they sensed that I was there they disappeared into the vines that cover much of our front yard. 

At that point, I decided to go all in and buy a bag of cat food. With the sudden appearance of a bag of cat food in our pantry, the ex knew what was going on. I got the usual lecture and simply told him that we would have to see what came of it. I promised I didn't have my hopes up and that I was well aware that we could not have a cat in the house because of Millie, our tiny blind Chihuahua.

I stayed the course and the cat, along with a couple other cats, began coming on a regular basis. I didn't want to become 'that house' - you know, the one that feeds all the strays, but I just had a hunch about that black cat and I wasn't ready to give up just because word had gotten out about a free meal. Well, fortunately, the other cats began to stay away... I think the black cat let them know that this was their territory. 

The Outdoorsy Type

So, things were progressing well enough. But you know, the thing about cat food is... it attracts no only cats, but possums as well. I discovered this one night when I was checking to see if that cat had come back. The possum was the cutest damn thing. And they turned out to be the thing that caught my ex's interest. Suddenly he was putting out food, too. 

The weather had gotten a bit colder and I knew it would be just a matter of time before the snow would fly. I began researching how to build an outdoor cathouse. Given our small stoop, that didn't seem very practical. Also, I wasn't sure where the cat was staying. I assumed in that garage... but I had no way of knowing. As an experiment, I placed a large cardboard box on it's side with a blanket inside. 

By this point, the cat was waiting at the door to be fed in the morning and evening. The ex had the morning slot, I, the evening. When we would open the door, the cat would run down the steps and wait until we set the bowl down. We'd retreat and they would come back for the food. 

A Kitty Burrito

Once the cardboard box was in place, the ex commented that in the morning, the cat would be sitting on top of the box - not in it. So, I found another blanket and placed it on top. 

Watching for the cat and the possums became my new obsession in the evening. By this point, we had three tiny possums and one giant mama possum who would come by. It got to the point where I was afraid the cat was not getting enough food, so a second bowl was left in the bushes to the right of the steps. I was also terrified that the cat would attack the possums, but... nope. Not the case. When the possums showed up, the cat would just sit on top of their cardboard house, not the least bit concerned or surprised. 

I took that as a good sign. 

Favorite After Meal Activity

I began reading things about taming feral cats. Every article I read said... nope, doesn't happen. But in light of the falling temperatures and the cat's reaction to scheduled feeding times, the box and blankets and the way they reacted to the possums, I thought... I have to do all I can to save this cat. 

My next step was to buy a cat house. It's an insulated house with two entrances/exits and a heated pad in the floor. I found one that would fit perfectly on our front stoop and still allow us to open and close the door. The ex initially flipped out, but accepted it. I found a cardboard box large enough for the house to fit in. Placed blankets on top of the box and stuffed blankets all around the house, as insulation. Sure enough, as the temps continued to drop, the cat took to sitting in the house. When the ex would open the door in the morning to feed him, the cat would dart out of the little front door of the cat house. 

The cat was not the only one curious about the house. The possums also poked their nose inside. But the cat let them know they were not welcome and they skittered away. 

We also got visited by a family of racoons. But, fortunately, they did not stick around beyond a single week. The entire time, all I could think about was what if there was a fight and the cat got bit and then... rabies. So... there was a week of sleepless nights.

Then the water we left out began to freeze. So, I bought a heated cat dish with a water bowl attached. Problem solved.

It was now mid-November, so temps were significantly cooler and  I knew I had to up my game. My new tactic was to try tempting the cat with treats. I would go out, the cat would run, and I would sit on the stoop and toss down a couple of cat treats - something soft. The smell of the treats got the cat's attention and within a week, we had a new ritual.  

Eventually, the baby possums joined us. It just meant I needed more treats. 

Next I introduced cat nip. I tried toys. Mixed results. And they would disappear. So, I began just tapping out a tiny pile of the stuff directly on the steps or sidewalk. The cat, which I had decided to call Tuxedo, because, it was indeed a tuxedo cat (black and white - with white boots), would roll around and eat the stuff. It was around this time that I learned that the ex was able to pet the cat when he set the food down. So, I began doing the same. 

This was not a smooth process. I had lots of cat scratches and the occasional nip for my efforts. Tuxedo, a name that naturally occurred, still did not trust me.

A Mistrustful Paw Aloft

So I began increasing the amount of time I sat on the stoop and placing the treats closer to me. I would also leave a trail of treats to the door of the little house. Tux took the bait. By this point, the temps were rather frigid, so not only would I have on my winter jacket, hat and gloves, I would also bring two blankets with me; one for around my shoulders and under my butt and the other over my legs. That is when I began to sing to Tux, to get him used to me and the sound of the human voice. Eventually I came up with a song that was theirs alone...

 

My name is Tuxedo

I'm a kitty burrito

I am so sweet, oh

And I'd like me some Cheetos 

If not some Cheetos 

I'll settle for Fritos

I'm a kitty bandito

And I live on the street, oh...

Now I live on a porch

In a warm little house

With a big fenced in yard

Some birds and a mouse

They feed me twice daily 

And this you should know

When they call me - quite gaily

They sing, Tux - Ee - Doe, doe, doe, doe

My name is Tuxedo

And all I need, oh

Is someone to love me

Someone who cares

Someone who says that they'll 

Always be there

When the wicked winds moan 

Or it rains or it snows

That is all that it needed 

By poor Tuxedoes...

My name is Tuxedo

And all you need know

Is I'll love you forever 

No matter the weather

Always together

You and Tuxedo....

My name is Tuxedo.

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two of Tuxedo's Tale!

Tuxedo Junction - Manhattan Transfer