We uploaded that photo of Phoenix on the sponsor page in September
2005.
Phoenix proved to be utterly feral and avoided us completely from the
moment she was released from the new-cat cage. She spent her time in the
rafters of the porch where the other ferals hang out.
The only photos we could get of her were taken furtively or quickly as she fled.
Sept 23/06
In September she came down with an upper respiratory infection, a common
'cat cold', and we caught her and put her in a single-cat cage so she could
be medicated. Forced into close proximity with us, she changed. Not only
can we stroke her but she leans into our touch hungrily. It seems that
dim memories of human love in a long-ago human home have been awakened.
This cat was never feral. She might have been neglected or even abused
at some point. She has surely suffered in her life. But she remembers human
love and welcomes it when we approach her slowly and gently. You'll see
it on her video below. If only they could talk.
Once she is released from the single-cat cage, she may hurry back to her feral friends in the rafters and forget about us. We won't force anything upon her that she doesn't choose. But we hope we can still be her friends.
Dec 24/06
Sure enough, once Phoenix was well enough to release,
she hurried back to her feral friends in the rafters and we rarely saw
her. For the majority of her life, other cats have been the most reliable
family she's had. She'll stick with them, given a choice between cats and
people.
Katie's Place fenced in a fairly large portion of
land on a volunteer's property to serve as a protected feral colony. Once
this land was fenced in with special cat-proof fencing, we were able to
release many of the ferals from the shelter there. For a feral cat, life
in a shelter is a very constrained existence. They are confined to one
room and a porch and they spend much of their time hiding from the humans.
On the property, they can enjoy space, wind and sun -- freedom. Phoenix
was one of the cats we took out there on our first 'feral round up'. Now,
if we ever see her again, it will only be a glimpse of her through the
leaves from a distance. This is as she would wish it. We know she'll be
happier. We will provide regular food and the resident volunteer will monitor
the colony for any problems. Otherwise, she is free.
June 4/09
Phoenix has passed away.
She settled well at the feral property. She was
seen in the company of other cats, giving them a head bump. So she had
friends. The volunteer who cleaned and fed at the property every day came
to know her well. Phoenix was indeed a long-abandoned pet. She allowed
the volunteer into her life and even let the volunteer clean her ears the
other day. The volunteer wondered whether to try introducing her to home
life again. She would gladly have taken Phoenix into her family. But Phoenix
was happy where she was. She was a senior cat, about 14 years old. There
was no point uprooting her again from a life into which she had settled.
Then yesterday the volunteer arrived to find Phoenix passed away. She grieved
the loss as Phoenix's only human friend. Still, the old girl had been safe,
well fed and surrounded by friends. She had been happy with her life in
the end. We won't forget her.