Scotty

Scotty joined our big family shortly before Christmas 2023. He had been seen in the neighbourhood for over a year, but was elusive to us. Once in awhile, we’d catch him eating and drinking from our bowls, but we were unsure if he had a home. Listening to his snuffle, we decided that it was time for him to come in.

We began trap training him in early October, so when we decided it was time, he was a quick surrender. Scotty is not a “neighbourhood” cat – a cat that lives among humans, grateful for a meal at friendly locations – Scotty was an outskirts cat, eating from garbages, stealing pet food from outside bowls, living in fear of humans, sick, mostly lonely, miserable.

His first few nights with us told us just how removed from people he was – climbing walls, hissing, scratching, all the regular beast moves. It took him a few days to learn how to use a litter box (news flash: you can’t train a cat to do what they already do naturally, but you can be patient and wait until they figure out how a litter box works), a couple of weeks before he would take a pet, then another month before we started introducing him to feline friends.

He has been treated for parasites (fleas and worms), has been neutered, microchipped, and viral-screened. His socialization is ongoing.

His pal, Patrick (pictured), spent some time with him out in the wild, as they almost immediately took to one another while indoors. He has come such a long way in the two months he has been with us, it would be hard to guess that he is a former feral. He gets along with everyone at the rescue, and is not an aggressive alpha. He does have a sweet disposition and has been accepted by the clowder.

With an age of 5 to 7 years old, he is an anomaly for an outdoor cat, having well outlived the life expectancy of an intact, feral male. He has acquired FIV, which is not surprising, but that should not preclude him from living a happy and long life indoors. He absolutely loves being brushed (he has had his coat de-shedded to remove the long mat that ran down his spine that he could not reach to groom), and has begun the domesticated ritual of self-grooming.

Scotty still has some adjusting to do before he is fully comfortable with his new life; a life of scrounging and struggling are not all that far from his memory, and occasionally he will get panicked at loud noises. He is a muscular, solid boy, but very gentle. He would be best suited to a home with other feline friends, as his very limited social life up until now has been cat-exclusive and he seems to enjoy their company.

Scotty is no kitten, and he may have his quirks, but he is certainly a sweet boy and would make an excellent companion. Interested? Apply here.