"Gentle"

For the past month, we've been feeding a stray cat that has been coming into our yard since the end of summer. We've been leaving food for it - and watching it come an hour or so before dusk. We know it visits more often than that, because Pecan, one of our cats, goes down into the laundry room in the basement to wait for it. I've seen them. The 'outside cat' sits in the window on one side, and Pecan on the other. Pecan isn't overly fond of the cat - and from time to time, will meow and 'pounce' at the window creating quite the ruckus. It has woke both Jay and I up in the middle of the night a couple times (or Pecan has for that matter - the 'outside cat' just sits and watches.

Well.... like I said, we've been feeding it and on a couple of nice days, while we've been outside, it has come into the yard and with time, let us touch it - pet it ..... yep ... it's attached itself to us. And in a strange way, us to it. Lexi has named it (because we're not sure if it's a girl or boy) "Gentle" - how sweet is that.

Well - my dilemma - living in Maine, the nights are getting quite cold. We even put up a little lean-to near Lexi's play house with a little 'bed' and shelter for it by the food dish we leave for it. Well - tonight, it came up to our door. It's never done that before. It sat and sat and sat and sat. "Come on Ruth," I can hear you all saying that right about now. "Have self control" - I have none. I went out and pet it for about 2 minutes. The cat is beautiful - but clearly a stray - a tad matted and has fleas (shhhh - it's not its fault - it lives OUTSIDE) - and is SO desperate for love and petting it will follow you everywhere. I went inside, NO, I didn't let it in, and after a bit, it went on its way like usual. HOWEVER, when I left to pick up Jason with the girls, it heard me from afar (in the woods) and came RUNNING..... and followed me around while I got the girls in the car. THEN, when I got in the car, it went up our front steps, and sat down like "I'll see you when you get home" - and sure enough, five minutes after we were inside, I could hear Pecan getting rough downstairs.

Jay and I decided to call "The Animal Orphanage" in Old Town. A no-kill shelter where we got Pecan. They only take strays and do a great job rehabing them and then finding them homes. This cat is NOT farel in the least bit. It is friendly and great with Lexi and likes Jay too. We can't take another cat. Our two are 'special' and I don't think by seeing the way Pecan has reacted, would do well by welcoming another. We also don't have the money to care for another medically.

So my dilemma? It is sitting on our back step - STILL - it is 7:50 pm - and it's COLD. We tried to show it into our barn, put a little shelter in there with a sheepskin rug etc - but it follows us everywhere... .and back to the back door. I was weak for a moment and actually opened the porch door to it - but it wouldn't go. Smart cat. Jay and I decided with it being an outdoor cat and not knowing it's medical state, that we shouldn't expose our cats to it -and by letting it in the back porch, we would be. I just feel heartbroken for it - that is my dilemma.

I know it has survived this long without being inside. It doesn't even want to come inside - it just wants to be pet and around someone. Poor thing. I started this by feeding it I know - but we are going to follow through and bring it in to the shelter tomorrow. We would love to have it around - even as an outside cat, but it deserves a family - it's such a sweetheart.

One more night, and it will have three meals and warm bed, and perhaps some new feline friends to hang out with until the right person opens their home to Gentle.

Night - say a little prayer for our outside friend.