Tarzan: From Backyard Jungle to Cozy Home

Here's Tarzan's story - a once-feral kitty rescued from a burned-down home and lovingly transformed into a wild-at-heart housecat. You won't believe his journey!

by: Kim Harloff in Oneonta, New York

I rescued this little creature from a house that burned down back in November 2012 in our neighborhood.

He was just a kitten, about a year and a half old when I captured him, which was no easy feat because he is feral. In fact.

Tarzan when he was about a year old and roaming for handouts

A frantic dog kept in the basement also managed to survive

I named him Tarzan because he was living in the wild in an overgrown and trashed backyard; spending the harsh winter in a dirty fiberglass car top carrier, and liked to chase squirrels up poplar trees.

This was his kingdom, his only world, before I began domesticating him.

After patiently luring him into my car, I drove home and sat in the cold car for an hour until I gained his trust and, wearing thick leather gloves, grabbed him and squeezed him into a cage (he screamed and viciously bit me several times).

Tarzan in his house

Tarzan's first playtoy, my vacuum cleaner hose. NOTE: Those wild eyes!

The first few days were awful! He chewed up the vacuum cleaner hose; which he liked to curl up in until I made him a security shelter out of a cardboard box.

He ran around the house knocking over lamps and breaking the blinds while trying to escape, stinking up the house twice daily using the litter box in the bathroom, which he seemed to have no trouble adapting to.

He constantly hissed and growled, attacking my feet whenever I walked by, and severely biting my hand which I had to put in a splint for nine weeks.

One day he made a break and bolted out the kitchen window. And he would have made a clean getaway had only the window been open.

Since then, he has calmed down pretty much and is bonding with my black thirteen-year-old female cat.

I had him neutered and given a rabies shot and they both now peacefully (most of the time) occupy my bed which has an electric mattress cover.

He still bites, but in a playful way, not as a defense, and he will jump about three feet into the air in an attempt to grab my hand while I play with him.

I also discovered that he loves catnip and rolls around in it while purring and stoned out of his skull.

After a long day at work and I come home, he gets all excited; bursting into several rapid sprints from room to room and anticipating what I have brought him for dinner.

Now, if I can only keep him from jumping up on my computer desk and knocking everything off of it as he stretches out (about 32" or about .9m long now and weighing about 14 pounds or 6.5 kilos).

According to the ASPCA, the average lifespan of a feral cat is about 4.7 years ... this lucky guy will live much longer.

He is not my first feral cat with Maine Coon features, he is my second. My first, Nero, died three-and-a-half years ago from nasal cancer.

According to the ASPCA: On the average, 13,000 feral creatures are euthanized daily ... make that 12,999 for this day.

Comments:

I also found a Tarzan!!!
by: paula

I also found a Tarzan - he showed up when there was snow on the ground and wanted nothing to do with coming inside. He had clearly been feral for a long time.

After many cold days and nights, I slowly moved his food bowl closer to the door. Eventually, I brought it inside - and finally, he followed.

He'd already made friends with our cat Midnight. They used to run and play through the window - one outside, one inside - so when we finally got him in, the two became fast buddies.

Once indoors, he panicked - ran around the house, tore up a window screen - it took a while to calm him down.

We named him Thunder. Now he’s safe, happy, and so loved. He’s part of our family now, along with Twilight, Midnight, Poppy, Shadow… and Thunder. He’s huge - and absolutely adorable!

Bless you 4 saving Tarzan!
by: Rob T.

My mother-in-law worked as a security guard at a property that had changed ownership. The new owners planned to poison the loose cats that had been dumped there over the years.

She brought one of them home, and he was completely wild. He hid behind the wall by the bathtub.

Being a cat lover, I started bringing him food and would lay in the little access cubby, trying to earn his trust.

After five days, he finally let me pet him. I was able to scoop him up and bring him downstairs to my room with our four kids.

It took some time - and a few bites and scratches - but he finally settled in. Now, two years later, you’d never guess he was born in the wild, aside from the fact that he eats like a pig! He’s one of the most loving members of our family.

He's our fifth rescue and has even learned to "talk." One day, after I fed the dogs, I asked him what he wanted - and clear as day, he said, "Feed me."

My wife and I were stunned. He's one special guy, and now he's living the good life indoors, forever.

He's beautiful
by: Jodie
Oh, he is gorgeous... so lucky to have found his patient human to share life with. My Mazy, see "left in a woodpile" is so like that. Running and jumping high in the air.

Someones these creatures come to us for a reason I think... perhaps there is a bit of Nero's spirit in Tarzan. Love his name..coonies are "jungle wild" aren't they!

Tarzan
by: Sylvia
Kim you are a very special person! What an inspiration you are! I wish I had your courage. I have a feral that I feed daily, about three years now, but he wont come too close to me.

He come for his meals and he will even hollow at the back door for me to feed. He has gotten so big and beautiful. I would love for him to come in and eat so the other cats wont take his food from him.

I would love to take him to the vet, but I cant get near him. If I move I know I will take him with me because no one else will feed him.

I hope I can throw a blanket over his head to get him in a cage. That's the only way the Vet will treat him and you cant blame them. :)

Amazing!
by: Kierra
Kim ... you are amazing! And Tarzan will live a long and beautiful life thanks to you!

Good Job m Oh brave One
by: Elaine Clark

You are a very special person - and Tarzan is one lucky cat!

I care for several feral cats and have built them shelters with heated pads and warm water bowls for the winter.

My daughter and I have also domesticated a few feral kittens that were born under our shed.

We enticed them inside with toys and food, then gave each one their own room for a week or two to help them adjust to us and our other cats.

We’d sit quietly on the bed with toys to coax them out from under, and even rubbed socks with our cats' scent on them to help with introductions. The other cats would play by sticking their paws under the door - it was sweet.

We were lucky to find homes for several of the kittens. My daughter kept one. We still have a big black feral who’s been in our yard for four years - he won’t come near us, but he’s part of the family now.

I trap ferals using cages baited with food, then take them to be neutered and vaccinated.

Luckily, I don’t usually have much trouble catching them. Sadly, in my county it’s illegal to trap ferals - if animal control catches them, they’re euthanized.

That’s why what you did means so much. It warms my heart to know there are people out there who really care about these kitties.

Inspirational!
by: Sarah C.
An amazing and inspiring story! Your patience is incredibly, I consider myself a great cat lover but even I dont know if I would have the strength to deal with this! You are a great person!

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