One day I noticed this starving animal. It showed up every day in the morning and evening, at dusk. Time passed. It gained weight. I was concerned, this smacks of feline reproduction. It was small so I called her little girl for a while. But she spoke back and told me her name.
So I worked on moving the food closer and closer to the garage, then in the garage, the far in the garage.
Today, 9/17/12, the door the to garage quickly closed. After a settling down period, the capture began. Only a little bit of hissing and no biting or scratching. The worry of course, if it's pregnant, then the kittens will be born in the garage. OK. But what if she's had he kittens and now she's trapped in the garage? Imagine, trapping, then catching, then trying to turn her over to look at the tummy.
At the vet this morning, I asked those very same questions. They scruffed her and she was pretty calm. Checked for kittens. Looked at the tummy. Hum.
Reached back and checked the back end.
She is an intact he, who smells. Partially related to having the poop scared out of him when I was finally able to grab him firmly. He didn't squirm, fight or anything when I carried him to the cat carrier and he went inside without a struggle. Very well behaved once caught. Infant Neil on the other hand flies through the air, hyperventilates, tongue hangs out, bites and has eyes big as saucers. Naturally, I don't catch him very often at all. Anyway, this is not about Infant Neil. Will the name Meow stick, I dunno.
But a few hours later, after two baths and a touch of the knife, he is now an it. The little boy is estimated like all strays at 1-2 years, FIV/Leukemia negative and 11.7 pounds.
Currently sequestered in the bathroom, but with a new name, Chairman Mao.
Four days after his conversion, I let him out. He examined the two other bedrooms but came back to his room. Two other cats came to investigate this new creature.
On Friday morning, I opened the door and he became a free range household cat. No fighting, no fusses and he's pretty well adapted. Sit on the window sill but shows no need to get outside. I believe he's discovered the gravy train stops here.
