Texas Woman Spends 2 Years Winning Stray Cat’s Trust, Then One Touch Makes Her Break Down
It all started when Amber’s neighbour was moving away. Before leaving, she mentioned a stray cat she’d been feeding and asked Amber to continue caring for her in her absence.
She clearly trusted Amber to take over, though neither of them could have predicted how things would unfold.
The neighbour had first spotted the cat as a kitten and had faithfully left food out every night for years. Sadly, she was never able to fully win the cat’s trust or get close to her.
Amber accepted the responsibility without hesitation and treated it with great care. She began setting food out, but her first attempts didn’t go as smoothly as she hoped. The wary cat refused to come anywhere near her.
For reasons no one fully knew, Kiki was extremely wary of people. Each time she spotted Amber on the patio, she would simply stare, her body language showing just how uneasy and unsettled she felt.
But giving up was never an option for Amber. She kept putting food out for the timid cat, always speaking softly to her as she did.
That gentle approach made a difference. Before long, Kiki began responding with meows and would even hop up on the wall whenever Amber called her name.
Still, this progress didn’t come quickly. It took months of patience before Kiki began to truly relax in Amber’s presence.
After accomplishing that one step, there was something else that worried Amber, and it was Kiki’s safety.
She finally succeeded in trapping her, but was that a smart thing to do? Not really, and Amber realized that later on. She shared in a video:
“I brought her into the barn. After about eight weeks, she found the tiniest crack under the gate, and she was gone…”
That made Amber incredibly sad, and she was worried that she pushed it too hard to the point where she ruined all her hard work and effort. Amber added:
“My husband told me, you know, she doesn’t want to be trapped. She’s been living this life for over 10 years. She’s obviously keeping herself safe, just earn her trust.”
Amber chose to begin again, determined this time to finally win Kiki’s trust. She approached the situation with renewed patience and hope, ready to show the cautious cat that she had nothing to fear.
She just started sitting far away from her while she was eating, so that she would feel comfortable. She also said:
“I would spend about an hour a day dedicated to just earning her trust. And I slowly started to move closer. I never thought that I would be able to pet her, but it was a goal of mine.”
Amber was dedicated to her goal for about two years until one day, the best thing happened – Kiki finally approached Amber, and she was able to actually pet her for the first time. She said:
“I know it sounds silly, but I started to cry!”
Amber was sure that Kiki had never had such an interaction with a human before, and she felt so sorry for her. Still, she was happy about the process and how Kiki finally accepted her.
“The first time I pet her, she was purring and drooling – the best sign of the ultimate affection.”
Apparently, Kiki was never angry or aggressive; she was only scared. But, after interacting with Amber and seeing that she won’t harm her, she completely relaxed and went all in.
Kiki gradually grew so at ease with Amber that she began curling up in her lap and even letting herself be picked up.
Wanting to give her new friend extra comfort, Amber asked her dad to help build a little house just for Kiki, a safe spot where she could come and go whenever she pleased.
They bonded so much, and after all that time, I think it’s actually amazing! Some cats need more time to adjust to new people, and some need less.
My young kitty Loo adapted very quickly, but Kiki just needed some more time. Amber also said:
“It breaks my heart knowing that so many of the animals out there are going just a day, let alone 10 years, without knowing what it’s like to be touched and loved and have affection.”
Kiki has clearly made her choice, and Amber is honoured to be the one she trusts most. She often says that building this bond has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of her life with animals.
Both Amber and I hope that this heartwarming story of patience, love, and dedication will inspire others to step forward and give cats like Kiki – and countless other abandoned animals – the second chance they truly deserve.
