Grandpa Mason is an ancient, battle-scarred feral cat with terminal kidney disease falls in love with kittens

Grandpa Mason is an ancient, battle-scarred feral cat with terminal kidney disease.

Mason's many scars told us how hard he had fought to survive this long, and we were determined to give him a chance to experience comfort, safety and freedom from pain during his sunset months. What happened next completely melted our hearts...

Mason's new life begins
I took Mason to my house, because his feral instincts told him humans were predators, and he reacted appropriately when one tried to interact with him. He was not a candidate for adoption.

I knew he was starting to feel comfortable here when I would come out of my bedroom in the morning and see the whole house rearranged - toys everywhere, rugs moved, pillows off the couch, all general indications of a happy cat engaging in rambunctious play. He still wanted no contact from me other than play time, but I was relieved that he was so clearly feeling better and happy to be alive. I thought that was a pretty great outcome for an old, terminally ill feral cat, and didn't think it could get any better.

Mason meets his kittens
Then one day, I brought my foster kittens out for a "field trip" into the main house so they could experience a new setting as part of their socialization. They swarmed over to Mason's lair, and started climbing all over him, just really invading his personal space. I was right there next to them, holding my breath and expecting him to hiss or growl and then slink away to hide under the couch... When Scrammy (ginger kitten) started licking Mason's ear, and Mason leaned into it, I completely melted... the one thing missing for Mason had been contact with another living being, and while he didn't want that from ME, he had clearly been craving it from his own kind.

We did daily "field trips" with Grandpa Mason and the kittens, so they got lots of play and snuggle time together. When they weren't snuggling, they were playing and he would get SO excited! He tried so hard to be gentle, even though I could tell he was just bursting to get a good wrestle going. They chased each other around the house, he captured them and give them baths, he trilled to them to get their attention, and he flopped and rolled around on the floor like a giant kitten, it was just the most adorable thing ever!

Up until his last round of bloodwork, his kidneys were continuing to decline despite the very best medical treatment we could give him. His last tests show his kidneys have stabilized - he isn't getting better, but he isn't getting worse, at least for today. He looks great, and his weight is steady, which is a sign that he's still feeling good.

We are trying to be realistic and prepare ourselves that he likely only has months left, but we are determined to make those months the best he's ever had.

Why Mason's story is so important
We feel his story is such an important one to tell. He is helping us raise awareness about feral cats, the hardships they face, the love they have to give, and that spaying and neutering is a very easy way to prevent the suffering that results from cat overpopulation. He also shows us that old, broken, ferocious, "lost cause" cats still have value and are worthy of compassion. It's such an important message. We've even heard from people who are following Mason's story because he gives them hope to carry on through their own personal struggles.

http://www.tinykittens.com/cases/mason