A Kitten in the Woods

     As followers of my blog, I'm sure you are aware that I am a dog person. I've never owned a cat, therefore I know very little about their mannerisms or behavior. However, I've always found it interesting that when I visit people who have a cat (or cats), the cats seem always to gravitate to me.
    Springtime, two years ago, I noticed a very young cat at the edge of the woods across from our house. Thinking that it belonged to someone along our road I didn't give much thought to its presence. When I began to see it more frequently, I asked all my neighbors if the cat belonged to any of them. No, was the answer I received from all.
     I began to see the cat on a daily basis; always peeking at me from the wooded area. The times I would try and coax it to me it would run deeper into the woods, obviously afraid to make human contact.
     As the summer went along I began to notice her in our driveway and from this I sensed, maybe, she was beginning to trust me. However, when I would attempt to approach her, she would bolt across the road into the safety of the brush and trees. Obviously she was not yet over her fear of humans. Each time she ran I wondered what could possibly have happened in this young cat's life to make her so afraid.
     Fall came early that year, and the nights were very chilly. One evening, hearing some scratching at my deck door, I looked out and there sat the cat, cautiously peering in at me. As soon as I approached the door she ran off into the dark of the night. Even though her appearance was brief, I was now assured I was one step closer to gaining her trust.
     I decided that food was what I needed to lure the cat in. The only food at my disposal was dog food and dog treats. Hmm...do cats eat dog food, I wondered. Since I did not have a dog at that time, neighbor dog Tucker's owner gladly donated food for my cause.
     There is so much more to this 'Cat Tale', that it needs a second posting. Until then...

     So long, I'll see you soon!