CC was laying down and I thought I'd be brave. Take the chance to try and pet him. And then he ran away. Except he ran away to a countertop in the bathroom where I could easily pet him. Then he started purring very loudly. So I decided to pick him up. And he went for it. It's very hard to pick up a CC. But he let me do it!
CC originally arrived as a feral cat that could not be tamed. Our goal was to let him know that he had a home base he could get food at and maybe partner him up with another feral orange boy that was also problematic.
A year ago he was living in a kennel in my bedroom too angry to accept pettings. And here he is purring loudly in my arms.
They make you earn it way more than other cats, but that trust is rock solid.
My first kitten was feral. I still have scars. She ate from my palm, no I should clarify โ she demanded to be fed from my palm. She'd routinely clean me, just lick lick lick with that sandpaper tongue.
She was my cat, and distinctly my cat. She died in my arms and I've never cried harder. She was worth it, though. She'd have been there for me if the situation was reversed.