Written by Allison May, who also supplied the photographs
On the 30th of July 2020, the then Ashley’s life changed forever. Sharon’s Foster Furries (SFF) https://www.facebook.com/Sharons-Foster-Furries-South-Peninsula-Cape-Town-260746-NPO-111275481017508) could only take in three cats (two from Protea Heights and one from Goodwood) when a woman who was feeding 26 semi-ferals passed away. There are so many cases like this where families have lost loved ones, their livelihoods and beloved pets. So, we all do what we can when we can.
Cecilia Rosas Fuentes, our chairman, agreed we’d take three of the cats, but because of destiny, or fate, or divine intervention (call it what you will), Ashley was “accidentally” trapped too. Ashley and her brother (from another mother), Brody, ended up at foster mom. They then spent three months with another foster mom, and in November 2020, they came to me. And now, as they say, “the rest is history”!
I joined SFF in October 2020, as I’m deeply passionate about animals. Ultimately, the only way to prevent animal cruelty is to prevent overpopulation. And the only way to do this is to sterilise (TNR – Trap, Neuter, Return).
Cecilia came to my home and did a house inspection and asked me if I'd be interested in fostering two skittish adult cats – Brody and Ashley – from a previous feral colony. I said yes.
Fostering involves a process of gaining the animal’s trust, I guess. So, there’s no time limit. It’s entirely up to the individual cat. Brody loved his food, so he was “easier” to win over, and he went to his forever home in February 2021.
It took about three weeks before Ashley, now Floof, would come out of hiding to eat. Another five weeks of keeping her fight-flight distance (all animals, but particularly wild/feral animals, stay at a distance where they feel safe and which allows them to escape from the perceived threat, if necessary) until she’d eat while I was in the same room. Then it was a slow process of reducing that fight-flight distance... over time. They say the eyes are the windows to our soul. In animal behaviour, we talk about hard eyes and soft eyes. I’d watch Floof’s eyes and do a slow blink until she returned it. To this day, we still do the trust-eye-dance when she’s worried or concerned about something.
In April 2020, I officially adopted Floof. We call it a “foster fail”, but in the most positive, happiest of ways. I’d known from the very first day Floof arrived that I’d keep her. I don’t know how or why some fosters speak to one. Perhaps it’s a science, perhaps not. When I discover the answer, I’ll share it. Floof seemed so misunderstood and trapped in her then scared body, and deep down I understood those feelings all too well.
And so Floof’s integration into my family began. It took us 175 days for me to touch her. She’d make some giant steps (for her) forward, like coming into the front garden with the rest of the family, and then suddenly seem to reach her limit. A few more weeks would pass, and then another “giant step” would happen!
Today, Floof joins her sister cat and brother dog in the kitchen for her morning milk treat and evening dinner. She’s a full member of the family now. She turns her nose up at long-life milk and doesn’t like chicken! I can stroke her, tickle her (occasionally), and touch her when I want to (80% of the time). She plays – which you may know is huge! It’s the most significant sign in animal behaviour that the said animal is fully relaxed. She allows me to brush her… but only in a particular place in the garden. She sleeps in my room (sometimes), but not yet on the bed, and on the lounge couch (quite often now), and we’re working on being picked up! Perhaps that will be a sequel?
The 16th of November 2021 was our “Gotcha Day” Anniversary… from semi-feral to Floof in Floof’s own time. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. Patience. Trust. Compassion. Caring. Unconditional love. #Fluffycat. #Floof #Catitude.
