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A few years ago, I looked out of our front window just in time to see a skittish black cat dart out from under the bird feeder. He was so hungry that he was eating the seeds that fell out of the feeder! i told my Husband, and we started putting out a bowl of cat kibble for this dear soul. Every time that we would look out the window and he would see us, he would RUN! this went on for a few months. He finally got it in his head that we were not going to hurt him and no longer ran when we saw him from our window. However if we were out there, he would still run and disappear.

Candy Bowen

As time went on he got used to us and showed up whenever we put out the food bowl and actually allowed us to stoop down and give him pets and scratches. But he was still wary, ready to bolt if we made any sudden moves.

We named him Mister Black. And he has the most adorable little fangs that stick out of his lips when his mouth is closed!All that we could figure out was that he was living underneath a root ball that belonged to a dead pine tree that got knocked over from the wind the year before. We have no idea what this poor boy had been thru, but he had an actual indentation around his neck as well as scattered gray hairs in that area. Lord only knows how long he had that collar on him before it finally broke off? it had to have been awful being choked like that as he continued to grow!

Candy Bowen

When summer arrived, either one of us would go outside and sit on a makeshift seat in the yard to wait for his visits. i would go out there and say, "I want some Kittie Lovin's!!!" and he would come running from wherever, rubbing all over us and "buzzing", "talking" and "popping wheelies" to get head scratches... such an affectionate kittie! <3

One day i asked my Husband, can we let him in and keep him? (we already had a couple of other cats). My Husband said, sure, but it has to be HIS idea. So i opened the side door and said, "You wanna come in?" He ran in, quickly looked around and headed back out. The next day i did it again. This time he stayed for 5 minutes before asking to be let out. The third day i did it again, and he decided to stay. He got along with the other cats (who have since gone onto the rainbow bridge) We took him to our veterinarian to check for a chip and to get examined. we had no idea how old he was at the time; our vet guesstimated he was approximately 2 - 3 years old.

Candy Bowen

It took a couple of years but that indentation is finally gone from around his neck. My Husband then adopted a 1 year old kitten after the other ones passed away, and 9 months later, my Husband passed away. I think that Blackie misses him because every night around the same time, ever since my Husband died, Blackie mournfully meows like he's looking for him.

He's older, and lost one of his fangs (it broke off and the vet had to extract the root)... but he is my buddy and is usually in the same room that i am in, unless he's on the bed napping. the other one, Snickers, a calico tabby with a stump of a tail (she was born that way) is nocturnal. she sleeps all day and roams the house all night. Blackie is always with me sleeping beside me at night. Snickers occasionally graces me for a short time with her presence and lays beside me in the mornings as i enjoy my first cup of coffee while reading my Bible and Praying (i do that on the bed where it's warm LOL). After Snickers moves, Blackie is right there where she was (unless he gets there first and stays the entire time - he's my "Prayer buddy!" LOL). i couldn't imagine life without these two.

Black cats are the best! If you ever get the opportunity to adopt one or take one in, you will never regret it!

Story submitted by Candy Bowen

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