Shyboy Purred This Morning!!

[6kittymama]

Thank you! I do have the cat treat pill pockets so may try those. Thank you for the encouragement and tips! I like the newspaper blanket idea too! Will definitely be doing that!

 

[6kittymama]

So new update on Shybaby (AKA Shyboy). SHE still seems to be in heat since March 13th?? She is not vocal and have not seen any blood but she struts with her tail up and purrs and rubs on everything. Not trying to get out. She loves to be petted with the feather wand and we sneak pats in while holding the wand and occasionally without the wand but only when she is walking the other way. If she is facing us it is wand only and sometines she will be purring away while facing us and being petted with the wand then all of a sudden she will swat at my hand once so I stop. I don’t trust her. She is definitely still more visible overall verses spending all of her time under the chair and even plays by herself sometimes! Just now I was sitting on the floor and she rubbed against me multiple times . Her spay app is April 2 and still hoping she doesn’t have to go in the trap verses a carrier but we shall see.

 

[6kittymama]

Meant to add this pix I took just now.

 

[kittychick]

Awww - - what a beauty!!!!!!

Did I give you our "laser/carrier trick"? If so - -skip through this and know I hope things go well at the vet!

If Shabby likes laser toys - - -we do this with fosters who are nervous about getting into carriers. We start a few days ahead so they already "know the game." We have the carrier in the room 24/7 (we leave ours in the foster room with them from day one so they're not frightened when it appears) WITH the door open. A few days ahead of the appointment - we start playing with the laser - - - getting them to follow the laser in and out of the carrier. They're usually SO involved in chasing the laser they don't even notice they're running into the shelter! We play the game multiple times a day (and we give a treat or two after the laser session is done - - -if kitty likes treats). Day of -- - one of us sits by the carrier, and on the door, other person begins a game of "laser tag", going in and out of the carrier. Once kitty's gone in once or twice (and goes ALLL the way in) the person manning the carrier door VERY quickly shuts the door and latches it. We then put a beach towel over the carrier - and it's (knock on wood) usually a pretty easy process -- - with the beach towel keeping them calm once they're in there.

Keep us posted out how things go!!!!!!!!!! Fingers crossed!!!

 

[rubysmama]

Did I give you our "laser/carrier trick"? If so - -skip through this and know I hope things go well at the vet!

kittychick : That's a great tip. I will keep it in mind for other members having trouble getting their cats in carriers. It does seem just a little bit sneaky though.

 

[kittychick]

rubysmama - - I just saw this. It is a tad sneaky - -- but with some of ours sneaky is the only way it gets done! (they're always rewarded when they get home with extra love and treats so they forget we tricked them)

 

[catsknowme]

What great progress! I do have a question about the swatting, though - When she swats (as she did in an earlier post as well as with the teaser), are the humans looking directly into her eyes?
Many cats consider a prolonged gaze to be either a threat or a challenge. Especially for ferals, direct eye contact means predation because predators have a stare. Even between feral colony members, direct eye contact means a challenge (often over a food dish) and is a prelude to a fight.
In Catspeak, the polite way is to make eye contact, slowly blink and immediately look away. You can do this repeatedly with no insult and if you get a slow blink back, the cat is doing the equivalent of blowing you a kiss.

 

[FeralRussian]

....I always laugh when they say "just keep them from running, jumping or playing for at least 48 hours- makes me wonder if anyone at the clinic has ever HAD a kitten!?!?!). .....

No Kidding! I think my eyes must have been the size of saucers when I read the post op. Like, yeah, right! Keep these two from bouncing all over the walls and each other. In some land of NONREALITY.

Love the terrific advice all around on the aftermath. Should be a feature article of pointer tips for the freshly initiated tnrs

 

[6kittymama]

What great progress! I do have a question about the swatting, though - When she swats (as she did in an earlier post as well as with the teaser), are the humans looking directly into her eyes?
Many cats consider a prolonged gaze to be either a threat or a challenge. Especially for ferals, direct eye contact means predation because predators have a stare. Even between feral colony members, direct eye contact means a challenge (often over a food dish) and is a prelude to a fight.
In Catspeak, the polite way is to make eye contact, slowly blink and immediately look away. You can do this repeatedly with no insult and if you get a slow blink back, the cat is doing the equivalent of blowing you a kiss.

No I try not to stare into her eyes. We do do the blink talk often though

 

[catsknowme]

I love the great progress that you have made! Just in case any visitors reading this thread would enjoy the Shybaby Update as much as I did, I will post the link here (I like having the two threads kept separate because I feel that the initial taming work and the spay/post-surgery issues are different from each other). Your successes with Shybaby will inspire others to consider adopting semi-ferals and ferals

Shybaby Update Again.

 

[6kittymama]

I love the great progress that you have made! Just in case any visitors reading this thread would enjoy the Shybaby Update as much as I did, I will post the link here (I like having the two threads kept separate because I feel that the initial taming work and the spay/post-surgery issues are different from each other). Your successes with Shybaby will inspire others to consider adopting semi-ferals and ferals

Shybaby Update Again.

Aww thank you