Aw, that's sweet! Yes, that would be extremely difficult for you to give away your babies! Like the baby coons, they thought I was their Mama, or at least Sophie did the dirty work, I was their provider.
But, when I took them in, it was with the full confidence that they would return to the wild, I was simply letting them have a chance at life. I let them go slowly, first just to the front porch, then off the porch, but I followed them. I would call, "Come on babies" and they would come running. I can still picture that! I would let them stay outside all evening after I got home from work, but come dark, they were happy to come inside to sleep. Ellie Mae would hide around the pillows on the porch swing, and growl and play with me like a cat. Jethro was not as people friendly, but he was also fun to watch learn to climb things with his sister. When started staying out all day, and then for overnight, I knew time was coming soon that they would not return. I just always hoped that they moved on to live a full life. Always secretly hoped they would return in the spring with babies of their own. Always kept cat food on the front porch for that purpose, but it never was eaten. Our babies, need to let them move on, fly the nest, but it's hard.
