We came home pretty late Friday after a day in town helping family repair a rental house.
As we pulled into the drive I saw a kitty walking in the neighbor's yard. I had seen him once earlier in the week along the road and thought maybe somebody had a new cat.
The kitty stopped in the neighbor's yard and looked back at me when I got out of the car to open the gate. I said, "Hi Kitty," and as husband was pulling in, the kitty came trotting over.
I gave him a little pet and picked him up since he seemed friendly. He didn't mind being held at all. Then my heart melted when he started hugging me.
I've never met a hugging cat before but that's what this little guy does. He rubs his face along your jaw and puts one leg on either side of your neck before resting his chin on your shoulder. I almost get misty eyed remembering how sweet it is.
He seemed skinny when I first picked him up but not starving. I put out some food and he scarfed it up. I didn't let him into the yard because I didn't want to trap him there.
I set him up with a piece of scrap fleece to sleep on in the little red trailer so he'd be off the ground. I put food and water nearby. I went inside thinking maybe we'd adopt him as a barn cat.
I went out in the morning. He hadn't left in the night. He had discovered a way into the yard and was sleeping under the tractor. He ran right over and followed me around as I did some chores.
I discovered that he was quite skinny and had some mysterious shaved-looking patches here and there. It looks like he may have taken to sleeping in engines and gotten a few close calls.
I would have been content to keep him as an outdoor cat but even more than food he loves to cuddle. He doesn't want to be an outside cat unless we're also outside. I spent a while outside with him but it's been raining and cold.
Husband finally convinced me to set him up in the back bedroom and let the other cats get accustomed to his smell. After a day or two maybe we'll try a furface to furface introduction.
So here I sit in the back bedroom. On a blanket on the floor. Little huggy kitty mostly sleeps against my legs when he's not purring and climbing on me.
