RIP Cha Nay-Nay

 These days with The Feral Fam have been especially poignant. Coco is trusting us more, even letting Roy pet her. She likes hanging out with Fido and he is showing her the ropes of in and out of the garage living. She hasn't stayed over yet but many a morning, after their private breakfast, she adjourns to her king size bed in the corner of The Garage on the Catmore Estate. Fido's brother, Spot or Spotty as I call him, is trusting us more as well. He has a huge wound on his neck and we would like to get him into a vet. There is also a couple who board horses with our neighbor that is very interested in him. He too enjoys the private dining privilege here at Catmore. Won't eat in the garage but he has one of us on guard duty to keep the others away so he can eat and gain strength. We hadn't seen him for a couple of days and we kept an eye out for him but we were slowly resigning ourselves to maybe his passing. Thrilled to see him! One of Camo's last batch got too close to the road about a month or so ago. Since The Feral Family harem has diminished the males from around the area are a bit disappointed to only find a table for one, meals. Hector Protector's twin Bobbsey has made a few appearances of late. He lives with another colony over the mountain. Radley is still around but not as much. Shows up about every week and a half for supper. 

Sadly, I believe that Cha Nay-Nay might be gone. It has been about a week and that girl never missed a meal as well as some pets and then time in my lap. As a young one, something got to her like something has gotten to Spot. Not as bad but she slowly healed. She stayed around here most of the time, with just a couple of ventures down the gravel road with Coco. Not out of sight from our backyard. This little spicy kitten who hissed her way into adulthood, all of the sudden wanted some interaction with the hoomans. Once again, Fido showed the way. As we worked getting the flowerbeds ready, Fido and Cha Nay-Nay helped us. Of course with too little stamina, I would sit down and the helpers joined me. She always touched noses with me, so I knew I was accepted by her. On those cool to warm evenings, she would cuddle up on my lap with her head tucked into my arm. I have always been partial to calicos. Remember Cali? We have looked everywhere for Cha Nay-Nay and I can tear up a bit when I think of her. The last time she sat on my lap and then had her supper, she came back to me and put her paws on my shoulder...like a hug. Then she went onto whatever plans she had for early evening. 

That first little Calico, Cali, never let me pet her but this little one opened wide her heart. Like all good ferals, she kept just enough of that wild spirit to remind me she wasn't totally domesticated. She didn't like to be carried. The one time she got into the house, she went nuts trying to get out of the house. 

She started out as Chanel but I realized soon enough she was more a Cha Nay-Nay. She was barely a year old. 

Last night Roy heard coyotes howling and he got Beanie into the garage with Fido for the night. We haven't heard coyotes for a while but their presence might just explain our lost Cha Nay-Nay. 

The loss has hit me hard. I still go out and whistle cause she always came a running cause the whistle means mealtime or snack time. The joy of getting involved and winning ferals over is challenging but oh so wonderful if it evolves but the loss is tremendous.