03/25/2021
Blue update! π I've been seeing Blue sporadically lately, in part because my feeding schedule has been all over the place (sometimes lunchtime, sometimes as the sun is going down...), but be used to always be there waiting for me along with Otis and Red.
Foot traffic on the train tracks has been steadily increasing lately, due in part to the warmer weather and a large hole cut in the chain link fence which makes my feeding easier...but also makes it easier for anyone to access the area.
I know that Blue is quite sensitive to noise and to other people being around; he's always eating with one eye on the environment, always spooked by the slightest sound and ready to bolt at a moment's notice. That's how a cat survives on the street.
We've been debating for a while now how we should handle the Dead End Crew. It certainly seems like their quality of life has plateaued out near the tracks, and anyone that's been following along for the past few years knows that their shelters have been moved no less than four times in the past year and a half, partly due to construction, and once, quite literally due to arson. π₯
The dilemma, as it stands: Blue seems to be ready for the next step in his socialization, but Otis is not. Otis is still quite feral. He trusts me, he's ok with me, but he's still feral. Blue, on the other hand, has really opened up and become a sweet little guy and he certainly deserves to get off the streets, but Blue and Otis are bonded brothers and have been since I've known them.
So, morally, ethically...what do you do? Do you break up a bonded pair because one of them might be ready to move on? Is that extremely detrimental to the one that is left behind? Or is it unfair to the one that is ready for the next step to be kept in a less-than-ideal environment?
I've yet to feel comfortable with any answer to that question.
But with the current feeling of Blue possibly slipping away (I doubt it's really happening, just, again, bad timing) and the poor conditions (and shady characters) on the tracks, the current thought is to move Blue to our backyard with Popcorn.
(Wow I just hit a caption limit! Who knew?!Will wrap up in the comments! πΊ)