bath #4

It looks like we have made some serious progress.  I won't say that for certain for a few days to make sure the french fry smell doesn't return.  There are still some spots on him that I'm pretty sure are grease, but for the most part he is sweet smelling and looks like I think he should look. It looks like he's got a "sash" of buff across his belly (sorry, no photo) that looks a lot like a beauty pageant sash that is oh so adorable.

He was much more objectionable to this bath then the last.  It was adorable to see that he was feeling comfortable enough to try to squirm out of getting wet, but it did make it a little harder to do it.  Despite my warming up the room a bit, and using warm water and keeping him cuddled to me to dry him, he still shivered quite heavily.  Broke my heart.  I tried putting him near the space heater, which he really really liked.  I got him as dry as I could, and left to do some holiday baking.  I checked on him 20 minutes later to find him snuggled up to the heater.  It was adorable and a little sad at the same time.  He was mostly dry (under his tail was still a little damp) and was happy to see me.  He did not run but let me pat him, and nibbled on the ground turkey I had brought him.

I went back to baking, and did some wrapping, and had dinner, and went and spent a little more time with him.  This time he was hanging out behind the toilet, but he came out rather quickly when I waggled the toy in his direction.   He still mostly ignores it, but I do think it helps him understand that it is time to interact with me and he'll get patted.

I brought in a brush, a comb, and a pair of scissors to get the gob of grease that was hanging out at the base of his ear.  He LOVED being combed with both the brush and the comb.  I am still so surprised at how much he is shedding.  I suppose I shouldn't considering what he has gone through, but kittens never shed so I'm just not used to it.  He coats what ever I'm wearing when ever I hold him, and I took quite a bit off with the comb.  The comb was also helpful in getting the gob of grease that was hanging out on his flank that I couldn't get off with the bath. 

He just LOVES being patted.  It is unbelievably sweet. He rolls around and offers different sides.  I tried to get him to play with the toy some more, but he was still basically ignoring it.  He liked it when I moved it rather quickly in front of his eyes, but he was unable to make the connection to reach out and catch it.  I couldn't stand it, and the next time I had him belly up on my lap I took the toy and tickled his belly until I annoyed him.  I could see he was not amused by the fact that I wasn't patting him any more, and he reached out and grabbed and bit the toy.  I waggled it while he had it, and he played!!!  Seriously, I teared up.  He was still slow in the connection of what he just did and playing while on his feet, but I kept at it, and I eventually had him jumping over my leg and running up to the toy.  To the left of my leg was part of the room he wasn't really comfortable with, so he'd just run up to it, but when it was on the right side of my leg he would pat at the feathers and bite at them.  At one point he even waggled his tushie and attempted to pounce!!!!  I'm so thrilled.  He even had his tail straight up in the air while he was playing!! He stopped and wanted to be patted from time to time, and had a little bit to eat, with the base of his tail up, but the rest of it down.  So we still have a bit of work to do, but oh such joy was had tonight by both of us.

and just an aside, I offered him a can of Iams this morning. It is being totally ignored.  I even put a small piece in his mouth and he spit it right out.  He preferred dry to Iams.  I can't understand why so many people still love it for their cats.  I can't get ANY of my fosters to eat it. I'm sure my crew would eat it, but they eat poptarts so they don't have the most sophisticated of pallets.