About a year ago a solid black tom cat with the brightest yellow eyes you ever seen turned up on my front porch, I don't like cats so I ran it off, it came back, I ran it off, it came back, this went on for well over a month. Finally, one day while on my back under a truck the cat came in and laid down beside me. It got to the point that he followed me like a dog, we never fed it, but it moved in and managed for it's own food, it comes when I whistle, and will lay at my feet all day. He is big, a little over 20 pounds, and will scrap with the best dog around.
I haven't seen a rattlesnake since it moved in, I don't like them, but this one has earned my respect, and likely has a home for as long as it likes.