Hello cat-fans!  Got a story for you about a stray cat.

There was a grey tabby/white cat who would sneak in our cat-door after we
went to bed to eat the left over cat food and munch on the cat biscuits.  I
would try and sneak back and catch a glimpse of him but he would always get
away before I got to the kitchen.  This started middle of last year I
reckon.

I knew who it was because on the weekend nights when we would stay up later
there would sometimes be a worried face peering around the door as if to say
'Hey! Go to bed, will you? I'm hungry!'  The first glimpses I got were of a
young cat's face.  Later, as he got a bit braver, he would be waiting on the
back door mat for us to go to bed.  So, being the sucker-for-a-furry-face
that I am, I started putting out the leftovers earlier.  I'd open the door,
he would run off a short way, then come back after I went back inside.

He was maturing, his face was wider, and I could see (ahem) that he was a
boy-cat as he ran away the few steps.

One night he didn't come for his meal - the next night an awful sight
awaited me.  One side of his poor little face was hugely distended from a
massive abscess, his eyes were gooey with cat flu.  I put down his food,
tears in my eyes.  He still ran away but came back and ate every scrap.  I
was encouraged by this (I was also getting meals ready for him, not just
scraps).  Two nights later he looked much better, the fur on his face was
sticky from the burst abscess but he looked a lot brighter.

My normal tribe of cats (Bagster, Sally and Dusty) just accepted him.  I was
a bit concerned about his flu, but my guys are all young and vaccinated and
there was no way I was going to ignore The Little Man as I called him.

He started to put on weight, his coat became glossier, I snuck some worm
tablets into his food which he ate with no problem.

In December a break-through!  I touched him on the head while he ate !
Things evolved rapidly after that, he would rub his face on my hand and wind
himself around my legs.  Then he started to yell outside the door for his
dinner.  He would generally eat and run - never see him during the day at
all.

One morning - there he was, asking for breakfast!

Then we had the night he came in while we were still up, strolled over to
eat, then he left.

A few days later, he ate, then walked over to the carpet, sat down and had a
wash.

Finally, one Sunday morning, he had his breakfast then came into the
computer room, jumped on my lap and curled up.

He has been de-fleaed, de-sexed, had his claws trimmed, been micro-chipped,
vaccinnated and his name is Spike.  He sleeps on our bed, eats like a horse,
he is a real softy unless he wants to play - then he can get a bit rough.

He has been pestering me while I have been typing this, he stuck his claws
in my leg twice - he still claims to be a starving cat!  He weighs 6.5
kilograms - hardly emaciated.  The vet has advised me to trim him down a
bit, but Spike is not co-operating.

Trouble is, now he is fussy with his food I have no one to clean up the left
overs :-)

Have a fun and furry day with your little treasures, everyone !

Tabbi