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I've had cats my whole life. At one time, we had eight rescue cats and were also helping a stray mom and her litter. Over the years, we've lost all but two of them to something: cancer, kidney failure, just to name a few. My 17-year-old Cotton passed away on a Friday. We were devastated and our old cat Mic was grieving, as well. We decided we did not want another cat. We have two senior dogs and Mic was well over senior age.

CAT. PHOTO: PIXABAY/PURPLEOWL

Three days later, Mic brings home a very fat, fluffy cat that we thought to be female because of the affection we witnessed between them. The cat was feral. We could not even get close to it. We watched them playing and loving on each other and were trying to decide what to do about taming this very pregnant female when Kitty rolled over and we found that he was actually male. While this was a relief, we needed to be able to get closer to him to get him to a vet for a check-up.

Kitty became very sick with a viral infection, and the only way I could help was to get antibiotics from the vet and add them to food that I would leave for him and hope he ate. I would leave the food in a sheltered spot for him and watch him eat from afar. I was sure he wasn't going to make it. But he did, and he continued to come around more, letting me get closer and closer. I had to lay on the ground and push his food away from me and just stretch my arm out so that it was near the bowl. This went on for months.

Then one day, he and my cat Mic got into a fight with a huge tomcat and Kitty was pretty beaten up. This was the only way I was even able to grab him and get him inside. I secluded him in our laundry room and again, gave him meds through his food until he healed. During this time, he began to make his way out and socialize on his terms with me and my two dogs. After about a week, he was ready to go to the vet to be neutered and vaccinated.

PHOTO: LESLIE WINKLER

We were supposed to keep him for about a month after his procedure, but I was afraid he may run away so we waited for about two months. He became the sweetest, most loving and grateful kitty I've ever known. He is still skittish with strangers and strange voices or noises but he loves his family. We named him Benjen and he's been with us for four years now. He's missing a few of his front teeth so sometimes his tongue slides out, but it makes him so cute and unique. He's also very fluffy, but his fur thickness and color changes with the season. He helped me remember why I do rescue, as I had done so many times before him. He's also showed me how affectionate cats can really be!

Story submitted by Leslie Winkler from Seneca, South Carolina.

Benjen’s story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!