Like Father, Like Son?

Life at our farm revolves around the cats.

At the beginning of our exploits at the farm some four years ago, a single, female cat with two very small kittens decided to take up residence with us. She was very loyal to us and a good mother and her descendants still live with us -- well, the female ones do.

The way of nature seems to be that the male kittens, once weaned, head off for greener pastures (or, more likely, more distinct females). This has been the case for all of our male cats except one -- Felix. Hubby has made great efforts to tolerate the cats because the rest of us females love them, but, in the case of Felix, the boys bonded -- the only two males in a sea of estrogen. Felix wanted to stay around but our current head female had other plans for him. Exasperated with his advances, one day she took a bite out of him.

Having decided long ago that we weren't going to run to the vet with every ailment that beset the cats, we created our own DIY animal clinic at the farm. We iced the wound, stitched it up, and covered it with tape...the all-purpose duct kind!

Felix hung around for a few more days and then was gone. The neighbors spotted him a couple of times in the next week or two. Then, he was gone for good. We assumed he died in the woods.

That was six months ago.

Then, just before Christmas, the neighbors called to say that Felix had appeared on their doorstep! He was skin and bones and could barely walk, but he was back. Somehow, he had survived. Our neighbor mused about the stories he could tell! He immediately took to Hubby once again. Here they are napping.

After a couple of weeks of R&R back at home (an exception made for Felix is that we brought him home from the farm to recuperate), Felix is looking pretty good.

Then, a couple of days ago, he seemed to come down with a cold. Another exception will be made.

We already have a call in to the vet.