Thank you for being my friend!

Subtitle: Vet said NO! I said YES!

Daughter wanted to move and dumped a cat on us, a timid middle aged ginger.

We took him in, named him Rufus, fed him and all that stuff, but he never connected with us or our dogs.
Ended up living outside, often in the back seat of the wife's car, window down, backseat down so he could get to the boot 'cave' where his food was.

Didn't show up, went looking for him, neighbour said he is now living in his garage and he was happy to let him.
Anyway, I still left food out on the porch for him.

One night, I found him eating - went out to see how he was, ignored me while munching.
Took a closer look, a different ginger!
Picked him up, put him on my shoulder, expecting cat panic and me getting my back clawed.
But no, he just oozed in, all relaxed.
Much younger, no white patch on his chest.

Took him in, careful introduction to the dogs, cat showed no fear - pleasure instead - much head rubbing on the dogs, to their delight.
You smell different. But friend!

Took him to the vet.
Vet did tests, he has feline AIDS, shall we put him down?
Instant NO!!! from me.

Got desexed, ear tattoo, microchip. Named him Moggins. Now officially adopted!

Had a problem with his eyes, vet said ingrown eye lashes, inverted eyelids.
Got fixed by the vet.

Fast forward 6 years, he is still here.
In the meantime, the original ginger Rufus has died, so has the elderly neighbour who looked after him, and one of the dogs.

Likes to jump up on my computer table and sit on the keyboard to get my attention. His way of saying 'feed me please!'

And when he did that today, I said, for no particular reason "Thank you for being my friend!"

(No photos because we all know what ginger cats look like, right?)