My neighbor's partly feral sweet little cat is triggering emotions

[Blueberry Pancakes]

I think I finally figured something out about my next-door neighbor's partly feral outdoor cat. I love that little kitty cat. She is a black and white tuxedo. They got her for $10 at a rescue down the street because their youngest son wanted a cat. They have a dog and think they are mostly "dog people" but just wanted to make their son happy.

That was six years ago, and they always have allowed her to roam the neighborhood. I worry about her safety. It seems nobody is making her safety a high priority. I began keeping an eye on her because she seemed so alone in the big world with racoons and coyotes. 
   
I put out a soft bed in my backyard for her along with a cup of water in the hot summer months. I have seen her sleeping there at night. When I step outside in the morning, she comes over to greet me and bumps into me and softly meows. Sometimes she just sits outside with me as I have my morning coffee and we sit together. It is one of the highlights of my day and I cannot explain it. It sort of makes me cry. I have a cat of my own that I love, but do not feel this way about her. 
 
I think I just recently figured out that the neighbor cat reflects a part of myself and my own history. Not being "the priority" and being left alone in a big world among predators is the way I have felt. I think I am giving the love and protection to that little cat that I would have wanted. Maybe it is a way to heal from my own wounds too.
 
Does this make sense? I sort of felt embarrassed about how important that little cat is to me until a light bulb went off about exactly what part of me feels so attached to her. 

I guess we find connection in surprising places.

I was not sure where to post this and it is sort of random but thanks for reading.       

 
 

[Rebel13]

This makes perfect sense to me! I have thought for a long time that my sensitivity to the plight of animals goes back to feeling so alone and adrift as a kid in a world that wasn't designed or built for small, young, inexperienced creatures.

I had a strong reaction like yours to the "winter lamb" storyline in the recent Sheep Detectives movie. I so identified with the lamb being criticized and picked on so cruelly by the other sheep for absolutely no reason. And even when the situation was rectified in the end, my gut was screeching at the lamb, "don't listen to them! don't trust them! they'll just screw you over again!"

It's lovely that you are taking care of the cat. Sometimes doing something practical to make a tiny difference in the world speaks to that sense of helplessness in a real, symbolic way. As in the starfish story.

[Blueberry Pancakes]

Yes, thank you, Rebel. I think you summarized it perfectly. 

I have heard of the starfish story, but the movie reference is new and looks interesting.

[frogjumpsout]

Oooh, the book the movie is based on, I would highly recommend! It's called Three Bags Full. Thank you for sharing this story, Blueberry.