Feral Cat Disappears From Neighborhood for Six Months, But Then Returns to Her Favorite Person

Feral Cat Disappears From Neighborhood for Six Months, But Then Returns to Her Favorite Person

Becky Bursley

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog!

Jack first came to my house about six years ago. She was scared and hungry and wouldn't let me near her.

I started feeding her, and after several months, she was brave enough to show me her five 4-week-old kittens in the backyard. She still wouldn't let me touch her, though.


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I live-trapped her and the kittens and took her to a local rescue for TNR. I found homes for her kittens and returned her to my backyard. She suddenly decided to let me pet her and quickly started a daily routine with me. She would run to greet me when I came home from work in the morning, and we would have several minutes of together time before she left to go about her day.

One day, Jack didn't come greet me in the morning. I was so worried about her! I left her favorite foods out for her and walked all over the neighborhood looking for her. I eventually gave up looking and decided something awful had happened.

Six months later, I looked out the kitchen window and saw Jack staring at me from the top of the trash can. I screamed and ran out to her. She was as happy to see me as I was to see her. I don't know where she had been for six months, but I truly believe that she was trying the whole time to get back to me. We quickly fell back into our old routine.

Photo: Becky Bursley

A couple of months later, Jack showed up in the morning with a limp. She had hurt her paw. This once feral cat allowed me to pick her up and place her in a cat carrier to take her to the vet. On the ride there, I decided it was time to try to integrate Jack into my household of six other cats. I had her tested for FIV (negative!) and brought her into the house.

She has finally decided that I can be her human and loves living in the house. We were meant to be together!

Story submitted by Becky Bursley from Wyoming, Michigan.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!

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