Sally

Sally showed up at my house several years ago on a spring night and marks the beginning of my outdoor menagerie and the joys/sorrows that entails. It was almost dark, and I was in my house reading a book, when I heard a very loud meow outside. It was an obviously distressed cry, so I went out to investigate. I found a skinny, raggedy tortie running around under my car and my front porch bushes.

Feeling sorry for her, as she was obviously VERY hungry, I went inside and got her some food and water. She immediately came and ate. I told her that she was welcome to hang out as long as she wanted, but that she should not expect to be allowed to come live in my house, as I already had six cats.

Needless to say, a year and a half later? She's in my house. The first winter I provided her with a shelter on the porch- a cat carrier with heated electric cat pad, blankets, etc. She appeared happy outside for the most part, with the exception of fireworks and rain storms.

One night, the following December, I came home to find her gone- even though it was freezing cold. When she saw my car, she came running from across the street crying. Oh- and by that point, my other little outdoor cat, Sammy, had been living in a SECOND shelter on my porch with her. More about him later. Turns out that two other neighborhood cats had discovered the shelters/food on my porch and decided to take it over. Well, given that I had spent a lot of time/money/effort on Sally and Sammy by that point I decided that I would bring them inside for a week or two- so that I could remove the shelters/food in order to discourage the usurpers.

Needless to say, Sally and Sammy never went back outside. Sally loves being an inside cat- I have my suspicions that she was someone's pet who was abandoned. She melded effortlessly into the brood with nary a hiss or a spit.

She's also comfortable enough at this point to rip into my bread loaves if I forget and leave them on the table or the counter. Little devil.

And, she's like my other two torties- very mercurial. She doesn't like to be petted/touched unless it is her idea. Makes it a lot of fun to catch her to go to the vet's office.

Her middle name is Mae, in honor of my grandmother, Willa Mae. And ironically? I have a Sallie Mae first time home buyer's loan, too. I guess fate sent me this cat, huh?