He started appearing in our backyard in the dead of the winter. This tabby cat was clearly a feral neighborhood cat looking for a meal. He arrived every day accompanied by two black and white cats. I knew these two were being fed by a neighbor on the block. They still seemed to be looking for a free meal.
Foolishly, my husband started feeding the three cats. The tabby clearly was the alpha cat and dominated the scene. Those two black and whites quickly learned who was boss and departed to the safer location down the block. Tabby stayed and appeared regularly for his two meals a day. His table manners were horrible; swatting if one was not quick enough in the delivery. He actually drew blood until we learned how to ward him off. The feeder came armed with a stick to keep him at bay before placing the bowl of sumptuous cat food. We often questioned the sense of this relationship. We were being mistreated for our generosity.
Spring and summer warmer weather brought friends and family to our backyard picnic table. Slowly and timidly, Tabby stopped swatting and began coming closer and closer, seating himself near my husband’s legs or near mine. Slowly and timidly, this hostile feral cat began rubbing his body up against my legs then against Ben’s legs, over and over. Soon, he was rubbing his head against us. We are hoping to be allowed to actually pet him, but he has not yet offered us that privilege. While he must surely be deriving pleasure in this human contact, it has provided us with equal pleasure to receive this commonplace affection.
Ethyl Haber
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