Bax The Garden Cat

Baxter was born outside in a neighborhood called Rhorer's Heights.   

Baxter’s mama was a feral cat.  Feral cats are cats that are afraid of people because they have never lived with them.  They have lived outside and that is life they are used to. 

One day Mrs. H saw Baxter’s mama drinking from her birdbath and approached her.  Mrs. H called Baxter’s mama “Annie” because she was an orphan and did not have a home.  Mrs. H began to put cat food out on a plate for Annie.

One day Mrs. H looked out her window and saw a kitten eating from the cat food dish.  It wasn’t Annie!  It was a gray kitten.  Mrs. H went to the door and the gray tabby kitten ran away.  Mrs. H named the kitten Baxter and figured out that Baxter must be Annie’s kitten. 

Mrs. H began to see more of Baxter and less of Annie.  Perhaps Annie had moved on to another neighborhood, but her kitten Baxter stayed near Mrs. H’s home.  Mrs. H put food and water out for him.

Baxter decided that living near Mrs. H’s house was a good idea, so he became a regular at coming to the patio.   

Mrs. H had never known a cat that was afraid of people.  She looked for information and found that kittens who are born outside and are not around people are afraid of them.  Mrs. H also found information about a program to humanely trap a cat and take it to the vet for rabies shot and neutering, which would make sure no more kittens from that cat would be born. 

Mrs. H humanely trapped Baxter and took him to the vet where they took care of what Bax needed then gave him an ear tip, so that anyone who saw Bax would know he had already been trapped and neutered and given his rabies shot.  

Mrs. H. brought Baxter back to her yard and released him.  Bax was still afraid and would not let people touch him, but he still came for his breakfast and dinner every day.   

Soon the weather became chilly and Mrs. H knew Baxter needed a place to go to keep out of the snow and the cold.  She asked Mr. H to build a shelter for Baxter. 

Mr. H was very handy and built a winter shelter for Baxter from simple instructions.  He filled it with straw so that Baxter could keep warm during cold weather. 

Baxter loved his shelter and stayed in it whenever it snowed or rained or the temperature was cold.  

Baxter’s favorite seasons of the year, though, are spring, summer and fall.  That is when you will see Bax relaxing and sunning himself in Mrs. H’s garden.  

Bax the garden cat has a home outside.  He doesn’t want to live inside.  The H’s are his caretakers.  He trusts them enough to let them pet him while he is eating, but he won’t tolerate being picked up.  Bax is loved and cared for as are many feral cats across the world. 

 

Please spay and neuter your pets.    Judy Hilt.