Bueller, the Feral Tabby Cat

Cat Mugs in watercolor on cold press paper

Against all odds, Bueller is a healthy, long lived feral cat. Early on, when his people dumped him in the woods, my neighbor and I both tried to catch him so that we could take him to the shelter. He was too skittish, and remains so to this day.

Bueller has lived in our neighborhood for over 8 years. The first time I fed him, he kept backing away to look at the bowl as if he'd never seen one before. It was as if he was alarmed at the way the sides of the bowl pushed at his whiskers.

Even though he will accept food from people, he remains un-socialized. He will not let any human (or have-a-heart trap) get close to him. Yet he is very polite and friendly with our cats... perhaps he senses they run the show. The most disconcerting aspect of his personality is that he doesn't make eye contact with humans. He cleans the plate then walks off without any recognition!

We have an amazing no-kill shelter within a few miles of our neighborhood, but now and then people desert their cats in our woods. I wonder sometimes if those pet owners realize how quickly a cat can become a meal for a coyote, bobcat, or fisher cat (weasel).

You can see this painting of Bueller on a mug, shirt, or other item by clicking Bueller.