The Continuing Adventures of Dave the Cat

[Mike G]

Dave trying to hide in the grass. X-T2, 50-140mm +TC2X. Heavily cropped.

[Andrea B.]

Mike, I love this! It takes a second or two before one sees those kitty eyes.

[Hugh_3170]

He reminds me of the Scottish wild cat that they are trying to reintroduce into the wilder and more remote parts of Scotland.

He certainly blends in well with his environment.

[Mike G]

Andrea and Hugh, thanks.

Dave is a semi wild(Feral) Tomcat who lives in my area, and is fed by my neighbour Julie!  He is terrified of men, so we think he may have been mistreated by a man in the past, which is a shame.

Julie has taken the best part of four years to get him to get to trust her, presumedly the fact that she feeds him helps, but he won't go near her husband!

There is certainly a likeness to a Scottish wildcat others ha said maybe he has some Maine Coon in his ancestry.

Sadly the Scottish Wildcat is inter-breeding with Feral moggies and so the breed is being diluted at an alarming rate.

[Akira]

Looks like a very intelligent cat.

If "Dave" could operate a camera, he might start a thread here with the title "The continuing adventures of Mike the human being". 

[Hugh_3170]

Yes, the dilution issue of the Wildcat breed is an issue for those doing the Scottish reintroduction and all of the pet cats from a wide area around the reintroduction sites are being neutered en masse.  (You had better urgently tell poor old Dave to not go anywhere up near Scotland.       ) 

Your second image certainly suggests that there is something else in Dave than just pure tabby cat.  Thanks for posting these - I have a soft spots for the felines.

Andrea and Hugh, thanks.
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Sadly the Scottish Wildcat is inter-breeding with Feral moggies and so the breed is being diluted at an alarming rate.

[Mike G]

Akira, I will suggest that idea to him when next we speak!

Hugh, Scottish wildcats have similar colouring and a bushy tail with a black tip, Dave has a bushy tail but no black tip

[Andrea B.]

I must go look up this Scottish Wildcat. I have also a soft spot for the felines both wild and otherwise."-)

Very interesting !!!!!
http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat

In North America we do not have these Wildcats. We do have Lynx and Bobcat, but they look much different.

[Ron Scubadiver]

Mike, this put a smile on my face.

[Mike G]

Time to catch a few rays!

[Andrea B.]

Nice one, Mike.
I wonder where Dave sleeps?

[Mike G]

My next door but one neighbour has made him a bed in her shed, also she feeds him but if she is late with the food Dave bats her on the hand to tell her to get a move on. Because my garden is relatively quiet Dave likes chillin there.