I wanted to give you all an update about Diego and Harley, FCCR&SNC cats that were looking for barn homes a while ago. After spending months in the shelter, Diego had just about had it. And Harley remained painfully shy after her kittens were adopted out. When my daughter Jennifer wanted to adopt barn cats she called FCCR and discovered Diego and Harley were available.
Settling in and adjusting took the two cats awhile and included being bullied by a neighbor cat, getting used to those big animals (horses) and the noise of several visiting chickens as well as grandkids. Long story short, Diego had to recover from an abscess from the night he met up with the bully cat. But he was lucky. It turned out he was not happy in the barn and after rehabilitation in Jennifer’s house he convinced everyone he was going to stay there. He follows everyone around, purrs up a storm, and has explored the upstairs (he resides in a large basement lit by several windows)The best part is that he joined a family Saturday morning romp in a bedroom and hangs out on the bathroom floor, waiting for Jennifer to finish her shower. He has become a part of a family, doesn’t seem to care about going outside, and the best part is that he is not in a cage anymore.
It was harder for HARLEQUIN (HARLEY). She tolerated attention and petting from the first but wanted to wander outside the barn too. When Diego moved out of the barn we had to look for her several times. She would show up for dinner but I had to trap her to discover if it was her eating the food I left in the barn. It was. But pretty soon we would go days without seeing her. Then another neighbor told me she was living in their garage and barn. But I still was not sure it was Harley until just a few days ago. (end of October) I got a clear view of her running across our back yard toward the barn, a Tortie with a patch of white on the tip of her tail. My daughter also saw her hunting in the field outside their house earlier that month. Harley is happily living her life outside with several families keeping an eye on her. I still call for her every day and hope she will show up outside my door, but it seems she has chosen her life, as an outdoor cat, free to go where she pleases.