Jon was putting in a cat flap last week - a major job as it had to go through a solid outer wall, but he's finished it, and now they just have to learn to use it - Jessie, Lara and Sophie.
Jessie was a calico feral kitten we took in at the beginning of July 2012. Jessie was born to a feral mum in the roof space of a garage behind our house, and when her mum deserted her we caught her and took her in. Afraid and skittish, yet gentle and sweet natured, the vet recommended not to let her outside again for a long time - if ever, or we might lose her. Well since Jessie we acquired two other gorgeous girls who have been together now for 7 months. Jessie has come a long way since those early days and last weekend we finally let her back out into the world, after 10 months as a house cat.
Jessie is now over a year old and recently she's got a lot less skittish, and very affectionate, so we took the plunge and left the back patio door open... At first she was curious but scared and barely got past the patio onto the lawn for the first two days. On the third she explored every inch of the garden. On the fourth day out she went to the back of the garden, hopped up the tree and went straight into the roofspace of the garage behind like an old pro - this is where she was born.
She stayed up there all day - sometimes sunning herself on the roof of the adjoining garage outside. As it got later the other girls came in, but Jessie stayed in her old home. We shook treats, banged the dinner bowl, but although she'd poke her head out she stayed in there.
As it was getting dark and not so warm we shut the patio door and Jon had his dinner in a chair opposite the door to see if she came back. At dusk she came down, played a little with the moths in the shadows (as she'd done as a tiny kitten) - then as darkness fell she came to the back door. I let her in.
She was a bit skitty as she came into the light then rushed upstairs - I think to check out her new nest, under our bed, with all her soft toys and stolen socks. Then she came down as if nothing had happened and gave us loving headbutts.
She's been in the garden every day since (apart from Friday when it poured all day) and not been back up to the old nest again.
Now I know people say cats don't have great memories and don't do a lot of thinking, but I reckon there was a residual emotional attachment memory to her birthplace and old home. Most rescue cats never have a chance to go back to their old homes, so we have no idea how they would react. I think she was enjoying being there and just taking her time. Then she came and checked out her new home, and made her own decision.
Jessie is our girl now, and this is her home, and it's her choice.
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