Happy February, feral valentines.

In this month of love and presidents, you ruled the free world — at least the world of one little grey love.

This was the winter of little Billie Jean‘s discontent. The petite, fog-colored cat was in a losing battle with January’s chill by the time we met her, and she suffered from frostbite on her ear tips and her toes.

Fortunately, our tiny catsicle was part of the Tabby’s Place TNR program, and so we whisked her to warmth.

I shall not sugar-coat this labor of love. Billie Jean was what we’ve unscientifically come to call a “feral feral” (as opposed to a “friendly feral”). Billie Jean would be the first to tell you that she was not our (that is, humanity’s) lover.

But Billie Jean was in desperate need of hands-on intensive care, so care she would receive, like it or not.

We purchased a special large transfer crate, which would enable us to handle Billie Jean and refresh her food and litter without unduly stressing her out. Billie Jean could comfortably avoid us on one side of the crate while we cleaned up her world on the other side.

But when it came to treating Billie Jean’s frostbite, there was no way around it: we’d have to handle a frightened grey girl with no taste for human touch.

We’ve worked with Billie Jean as gently as possible, showing her in every possible language that we are on her side and we adore her. When the time comes — and it comes twice a week — to change Billie Jean’s toe-bandages, we sedate her, as this could otherwise be extremely painful. It’s possible our little Billie Jean may still lose some of these toes to amputation, but she won’t miss them — and we know her best days are yet ahead.

We’re also getting inklings — little valentines, if you will — that Billie Jean is warming slowly to our love. We’ve seen it happen before, with Todd and Ella and numberless other loves. Rest assured that we will always love Billie Jean in all the ways she can understand best — and we will always love her to the utmost.

Wonderful sponsors, thank you for loving our feral kitties — “feral feral” or otherwise — so faithfully. Most organizations would not be in a position to provide such extraordinary care for a little marvel like Billie Jean, but you’re making it possible for us to do just that. You are a wonder, and we love you.