Abby- who is not a cat

Once upon a time there was a high wind in the trees, and this palm sized fat ball of black pin feather and blue eyes took a header and fell SPLAT!!! into the parking lot.

Kind souls delivered her to me, and I spent a spring and summer raising a crow baby with the cats.

Abby was cool. She was intelligent, affectionate and very attentive. She followed me hopping (as she could not fly- busted collar bone) around the garden. The chickens HATED her, and thought that although she made 'feed me I'm a baby' noises at them, that she was really plotting to eat her. We avoided the chickens.

Abby had a huge, bathroom sized cage in the house. It had perches, stuff to do a bath and lots of interesting food. It had a window outside and for several years she was content to live there, coming out to chase the lazer pointer with the cats and steal silverware.

Last year Abby turned 5 I think, and she began to call to the outside crows. So I moved her and her entire house into the cat porch, a huge outdoor structure that runs the legnth of my house. It is screened completely in, has a pond and lots of plants... It lets the cats go inside and out without actualy every being outdoors exposed to danger.

Abby lived on the cat porch, learning to leave her house and fly. She grew stronger, more skilled. She began to forage for food in flower pots and although ate her bird pellets, began to mimic the behaviors of wild crows.

She got bigger.

Last week 2 young adult crows came to her and began to talk through the wire. Every day they would come and call to her. Every day she would call back and try to reach them.

This moring I shooed all the cats insdie and opened up the porch for Abby. She went out for the first time, explored, played, screamed at the wind...and flew away, free.

I can hear her in the neighboorhood.

I will watch for her of course, and put out food. I will call her at night and if she comes home, take her in, of course.

I hope the wild crows are good to her, and that she has many babies.

Good Bye Abby. I will miss you.

Free to choose to come or go is really free....

48 hours later...

Abby showed up this morning in the back yard happily calling. She was using the crow 'this is my house' call. I went outside and called her & she called back, watched me for a little, circled around me and returned to her friends.

I hope she keeps showing up.

Update 2/2010

Abby has returned consistantly. She is not 'tame', so she will not come right to me, but I can call her, and she will come to the street. She has chosen a mate, and joined the large local 'murder' (which is what a crow flock is called) of crows. I do miss her, but she needed the right to choose, and she did. I hope she raises many pretty babies and I hope she visits for years.