more progress

*giggle* sometimes I'm just so amazed.  I don't want to take an ounce of credit, as I was the shy kid in school and I know it takes a LOT to overcome where these kittens are.. Just give them the safe environment and the opportunity and they can learn to trust.

When I went down to the kitten room last night I brought a book and I decided to ignore the kittens.  There is little that a kitten likes less then being ignored, and that includes being held when they are scared.

Remember that Rene named them.  Fiorella for the mom Fedele for the serious boy (the redder one), Ariana for the little girl and Nario for the buff boy

Well Nario wasn't having ANY of it.  He danced around me, attacked my skirt viciously, tried to climb my leg and was in and out of my lap..  Fedele came around a few times but Ariana was perfectly OK with being ignored.  Fiorella came up and wanted attention, then she proceeded to make biscuits on the pillow next to me.

While I sat there and attempted to read my book, Eliza sat at the front of the cage looking at me.  Finally she couldn't stand it any more and MEOWED AT ME FOR ATTENTION!!  *smirk*  yup, ignoring is almost as powerful as food bribes :)

I went over and opened up the cage to which she slunk back. Ezra wanted NOTHING to do with me thank you very much.  So I wiggled my fingers at Eliza and she batted at them *awww* and interacted with me.  She even LICKED ME!!!  Ezra started worming his way over ever so slowly to see what was going on.. which is something.. but he wouldn't interact.  So I gave them belled balls.  Up to now they haven't had toys. I know I sound so mean, but I wanted them to be bored and looking for interaction when I showed up.  Well balls were a hit. Ezra had so much fun that I got to roll the ball to him several times with out his flinching.

Of course this interaction meant I was ignoring the others.. as previously stated Nario is NOT a fan of that and tried to climb me several times, did random dances on my skirt and was generally just off his rocker..   Fedele is OK with me now.  He's not my biggest fan, but I do that thing he likes so I'm no longer something to run away from.  Ariana.. she runs... but at least when I'm not looking she now gets up closer to me, so that's something.

I did cuddle time with Ezra, he wanted to leave.  He purred, but he was looking for every opportunity to get away.  Eliza let me cuddle and coo over her.  Ezra trusts me enough now that he doesn't try to escape when I put him down... which again is something on the win column.

This morning, Fiorella and her kids were all out and visible when I walked in the room (first time for that!!) Eliza came right over to eat, Ezra was slower, but he came, and he let me move him to the other side of the dish so I could add more dry food to his other bowl.  He looked concerned but he just went back to eating

We do have some sneezing going on, but nothing else yet.  Fingers crossed that ends now and we get Fiorella and her kids back to the shelter and in to good homes right quick.

Mom

Meet the new kids

The female is short hair grey with white – Eliza.

 The males is a fluffy black with white – Ezra

You can't see it, but he does have a full milk mustache

Rachel, another long term foster home for the shelter (we started at the same time), took these two.  They aren't exactly feral, but they have that "please oh please go away and most definitely do not touch me" vibe.  Having seen first hand the transformation of Agatha/Dorian/Henry she asked if I wanted to take them and see if I couldn't help them out.

It is going to be harder, as they are a little older and they are 'wary' not 'scared'.  You'd think that would be easier to deal with, but usually you simply have to show scared that nothing bad is going to happen.  Wary means rebuilding confidence and trust.  My current female foster is wary.. and while she was hiding last night when I went in she was out and about and I was able to put hands on her easily a few times.  she is going to need a home that accepts that she needs a little time.

ANYWAY... Back to Ezra and Eliza.  I set them up in the cage and they both said please go away.  I gave them a litter box, they said please go away.  I gave them dry food, they said please go away (and when I went away they went right to the food) I gave them water and they kept eating but Ezra was hesitant trying to decide if he should retreat to the corner.

These amenities they get 'for free'  Everything else comes with trust.

I got some raw food (all fosters got raw) and they were both VERY interested.  Interested enough to walk toward me and get near me.  They liked it enough to let me pat them.  When it was gone I opened up a can of food.  They were still hungry, and I gave small bits.  They would eat it quickly and then be in a position to realize they were near me and nothing bad was happening.  When they realized this they got another bite or two.  I got them right up to the edge of the cage, and I got my nose very close to Ezra (yes, I have a soft spot for him - he reminds me too much of Ollie) and he let me with out moving away.

When all the food was eaten, he went back to his corner and cringed a bit when I went to pat him.  Eliza however started purring a little.  

It's a long road, but it was a good first step.

Wordless Wednesday - This can't end well

(it did end just fine. Not elegantly by any stretch of the imagination but he was fine)

Kitteny updates

I went to the shelter tonight (more on that in a bit) and I met up with Dorian, Schuster and Henry. Aggie and Simon got adopted.  Even better? They got adopted TOGETHER!!  I just had to laugh considering their history.  I think it is wonderful.  The nice woman behind the counter said it was a girlfriend/boyfriend situation and that they don't intend to keep Aggie's name because there is history there (not sure what - I so hope one of them stops by and says hi!!)

Henry was in a cage with other kittens, so I put him back with his brother (s) and they were very happy to see each other.

Dorian STILL likes to have his picture taken.

There were six other kittens up for adoption, so they have their work cut out for them - but I'm sure they can do it!