Sevvy Comes in from the Cold

Sevvy is a mystery cat.  We don’t know where he came from, he just appeared here about five years ago.   We’ve never been able to catch him, he is completely wild although he comes every day for food and hangs around generally.  When you approach him – he’s off!

He’s been living in an abandoned fox den under some pens, it’s a deep earth and we’d see him dart there when people were around.  It is the ultimate secure den.  I don’t know what would happen if the foxes came back but think it unlikely, they have moved on to new dens in the hedges down the fields.   Sevvy would probably see them off anyway, he’s a big lad.

Last winter brought a change for Sevvy.   We continued to put food out for him every day, we also put out a Katcabin.   As soon as he discovered this feline hotspot he was in heaven, although he was torn between the warmth and the feeling of being trapped.   He darted out and back into the security of his nearby den if we came too close.

He hasn'[t used his Katcabin so much over the summer, he goes off hunting down the fields and stays out all night.   On impulse I moved it into the stables where some of our permanent residents live.  i leave the door open during the day so that they can have a saunter out.  In late afternoon, pouch time, they are all back and waiting for pate and chopped chicken and a fish and biscuit top up.

A couple of weeks ago I had to look twice when I saw that the Katcabin was occupied.   Sevvy’s handsome face was peering out at me.   As the cats had gone out, he’d ventured in.  He was tense but not moving.   Would he dash out to freedom again?   No way.   He’s staying put.   He must trust me enough to know that I won’t evict him.   He isn’t going to chance losing his place by coming out for food while I am around though.

Sevvy looks to be apermanent resident now and is already looking much fatter and better.   He was a raggedy cat in his wild outdoor days.   He has plenty of opportunity to escape but obviously doesn ‘t want to.   I’m guessing that he eats at night when there’s no one around.   Will we ever get to stroke him?   Pick him up even?  It didn’t seem likely a few months ago – now, thanks to the Katcasbin (kindly donated by one of our Pet Samaritan friends) who knows?