This is Crazy:


He's a stray thats been hanging around our neck of the woods for a long time. Until recently all we'd ever see of him was a brownish black streak heading in the opposite direction.

Then he'd sit on the other side of the neighbours fence and just look at us before I'd shoo him away.

Then he started to sit under our van and look at us through the gap between the wheel and arch... then he started meowing at us.

We caved and started to leave out food and water. I felt sorry for him. Then when I saw him eat I felt even sorrier. I named him crazy because he eats like a crazy person... seriously he eats like he hasnt eaten in days. He eats cat biscuits whole... doesnt bother with chewing them, and canned food he eats so fast he takes gasps in between mouthfulls like breathing isn't as important as eating!

At first I wasnt sure if feeding him was the right thing to do... we already have two cats, one male who is very similar to Crazy, feeding him would be like having three cats without the perks of having them act like a hot water bottle on cold nights (not that its cold around here right now!). About that time I was watching the Evan Almighty movie (about the guy who builds an arc), and the moral of the story was that the smallest act of kindess can change the world - as Morgan Freeman (who plays God) said that he filled a bowl of water for a stray dog and let him drink from it.

Now - I dont especially believe in God (my inner jury is out on that one). Fate & destiny make more sense to me, that part of the movie made me see what I had to do.

I had the means to help him and no good reason as to why I shouldnt, so I changed his world and gave him a chance.

Now he brushes against my legs and lets me pat him... mainly when he wants food. He knows when the others get fed and he meows at the back door, he comes inside and steals any food that they leave in thier bowls.

Kit (the younger one - she's not quite a year old yet) doesnt mind him at all they snif eachother and are content with eachother's company.

Leroy my 4yr old male isnt so smitten. He's cautious and sometimes makes those low toned meows that say come over here a bit closer... I dare you! I'm positive these two used to fight and wake us up at night. So I can understand why he's a bit weirded out by the situation, but I havent heard fighting for a while and Leroy hasnt had any little scratches for just as long so I hope that they've made some sort of peace with each other.

Crazy is a smidge bigger than Leroy so its possible that he came out on top in the territory stakes and thats why Leroy tolerates him... but he doesnt have to like it.

I must admit I am also worried that Crazy has bugs and stuff and will pass them onto mine. He doesnt have fleas, but i'm worried about worms and about feline Aids. Kit is vaccinated against it but Leroy isnt. Which in heinsight is kinda stupid cos Leroy's the fighter and more likely to contract it - Kit's a female scaredy cat and runs from confrontation.

I also have a feeling that Crazy was owned by someone, his fur around his neck looks like it once held a collar, but it could just be that his fur is a little thinner there. He seems pretty tame and not wild at all. He hisses sometmes but not with much conviction and usually only when he's cornered.

So i'm going to keep feeding him and i'm going to try and get him used to my company when it doesnt involve food and hope that with time all three of them can get along fine.