One day in early April, my neighbor and I were riding our recumbent trikes on one of our favorite ride routes. As we approached the top of a rise on an unpopulated road through woods and farm fields several miles from home, we spotted two long-haired orange/white cats in the grass alongside the road.
As we approached, we could tell by their demeanor that they were obviously lost and afraid. As my neighbor and I are experienced animal rescuers and trappers, we're very familiar with a scenario that occurs all too often...they had been dropped there by some uncaring, heartless, or ignorant person(s). We stopped and called my wife, who brought food and water, and we set up a feeding station a few feet back in the trees out of sight of the road.
Over the course of the next 7 weeks, we continued to feed in that spot, at the same time every day, in an attempt to set up a feeding pattern, and we also monitored their activities with a wildlife camera. We canvassed the only homes along the road, but no one knew anything about the cats. Unfortunately, we found one of the cats dead alongside the road a few days after we first spotted them, probably hit by a car. We called the remaining one Persimmon Kitty, because there are several wild persimmon trees growing along the edge of the woods there.
Finally, in late May, after almost 6 weeks, the remaining one started showing up at the feeding station on a regular basis, and she'd be waiting every day when we got there to put the food out...we knew it was time!
We set up one of our radio controlled drop traps at the feeding station in the woods and we were successful on the first try. Our little Persimmon Kitty was going to start a new life! She went to our local spay & neuter clinic the next day, where she tested negative for FIV and feline leukemia, then was spayed and got rabies and distemper shots. We named her Simmi, short for Persimmon. She has since been to the vet for a complete checkup and other than an ear infection, which is now cured, she was in good health.
Our beautiful little Simmi has turned out to be the sweetest, most loving little girl ever. She now has a furrever home with our other 17 rescues (18 counting the dog). Her favorite position is on her back with her front paws kneading the air overhead, and she loves to be on laps getting tummy rubs. She is a treasure!
CONCORD, NC
