Pet, Pet, Learning to Love

Friday, May 10th was a day of great progress! I’m not sure if it’s because I was out of town most of the week to work, or if it was just the right time, but Poppy let me pet her from head to tail, and then asked me to do so about five more times. The next day, was the same thing at both meal times!

Progress feels slow, but this was a HUGE change for her! Willow lets me pet her while she eats daily and sometimes after she’s full, but this was Poppy’s first time ever without trying to scratch my hand into a bloody mess while giving me the evil eye and hisses. She doesn’t hiss or growl a warning, but she goes straight into a hard smack with her claws long and sharp. Although, she’s been keeping the claws sheathed more often when she wacks me and then hisses her angry message, so clearly this was massive progress.

I am enjoying a cup of comfort juice (often referred to as coffee) and the delightful company of these good cats this fine day.

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To Pet from Tip to Tip

There were two firsts with our new kitties today. It seems to be taking forever to tame them, but then I realize that there is progress daily, I just can’t always see it.

Both of the firsts are with Willow today. She allowed me to pet her from the top of her head to the tip of her tail … twice! She didn’t even hiss, spit, bite, or smack me. Yeah! She is so soft, and her fur is thick.

The second first was playing with Willow. Poppy LOVES to play with a long toy that we have and flick around for them. But Willow has been hiding the last couple of weeks when Poppy and I (or mom) play with her. But this week Willow has been hanging out around the room – watching from a safe distance. Tonight, she gave it one fun pat before running off and hiding again. For her, that’s progress, and it’s so good to see her play!

It’s still taking much longer than I’d like, but they are improving and becoming accustomed to us.

Mamma Willow and Baby Poppy

Poppy jumps down if I do ANYTHING to upset her, like blowing my nose or using the TV remote. Mamma Willow keeps eating right along, and only gives me a kind glance as if to say, “finally, a meal to myself”. But soon enough, Poppy moves in again, and often pushes Willow out of the one bowl and into the other. The joys of motherhood.

Mamma Willow

Baby Poppy

 

It’s a Start with Kitty Taming!

I am so excited! It took all of my being to remain calm and quiet at the most beautiful sight tonight! The girls BOTH came out to eat while I was sitting nearby. A first!

Last night Willow showed her face to me for a moment although she wouldn’t eat in front of me, and earlier today my mom saw Poppy go up to sit on the top of the stairs while my mom was in the basement, both good steps in the right direction.

But tonight was the first of many goals, and it is now achieved. It’s taken one week. Praying the rest might go a little quicker. It was a long week.

This is a big step in a long process, but so very glad to see progress. Of course, their first trustworthy human paved the way for today’s good news. Thank you, Caitlyn!

Moral of the Story: Don’t Give Up!

Poppy

Willow

 

Joy’s Toy

My Joy kitty will be 13 this year. She has played with toys on and off over the years, but she’s really taken to them in the last six months or so. She moves them around the house at random, usually between the living room, dining room, and her (my) bedroom.

At Christmas she became obsessed with a Santa hand puppet my mom puts out for the kids each year. She was so taken with it that we’ve allowed her to keep it when we packed up the Christmas decorations. It’s about half her size, but she carries it around with great pride.

I don’t get it, but whatever floats her boat and keeps Joy joyful is good by me.

PS: She doesn’t yet know about the kitties in the basement. Merry knows somethings going on, but she’s not quite sure what just yet.

Moral of the Story: Live and let live when no one is harmed. Live life with Joy.

 

Two Loves – Still Seeking Home … But

But I couldn’t do it. Every time I went to the barn to see them, their bowls and litter were turned awry, even if it was only an hour. So, they are now in our basement.

I will begin training to trust us tomorrow night. It’s the horrible thing I don’t like to do, but it worked with my girls. No food unless a person is present, up to 24 hours. The vets told me we can go up to 48 hours, but I can’t do it. 24-hours in my max.

They are still seeking a home, but once our girls start to meet them, it’s a sealed deal for me, so long as they get along. So, if you find these faces irresistible, please come and sit with us.

It may take weeks or months, but they will be loved in a loving home.

 

Two Loves – Seeking Loving Home

This mother and daughter pair of fluffies is seeking a furever loving home together. They have been on the streets of Kalamazoo. Their rescuer has named the daughter (white nose) Poppet and the mom (on the left) Mama. The mom is probably 3-4 years old and the daughter 1-2 years old. They are spayed, and probably have some shots received at the same time.

They are semi-feral, perhaps, if that. My two girls who came from our barn were truly feral when I brought them into our home 20 years ago. I tamed them with food. But for the first couple of weeks, I wasn’t able to pet them in any way. These girls, you can reach through the wires of their kennel and pet their heads, and they respond in kind. No biting or scratching. My two feral girls were never lap cats, but they would delightedly sit next to me and sought love and affection.

Mama is more skittish, but still stays nearby. Poppet would role around the rub the ankles of her savior when being fed. There is much hope for these girls to be tame and reciprocate your affection.

The fun part is that you’re welcome to come and visit them with me when I feed them each evening. If you may have an interest in these soft beauties, come wearing your barn clothes, and sit with them for a while to see if there’s a connection. They’ll be in the kennel for two weeks in case we cannot find a home for them, so that the feral barn cats here can become accustom to them and welcome them into the herd. But my hope and prayer is that they end up in a loving home.

If my Joy cat were more open like our Merry cat, I would absolutely try to bring them into our home. But Joy is just coming into her own and at peace in our home. I don’t want to disrupt that for her.

Will you come pet them with me?

They are the gray of the one on the right. The shadow is darkening the mother on the left.

 

That Connection Remains

I was sitting at work today reading an article in Defense One. I found over the Christmas and New Year holiday break that my dad had once subscribed to this newsletter. I subscribed to the electronic version because it is helpful in my work of teaching the ins and outs of government contracting. My dad subscribed because he was a conscientious objector and an activist for human rights.

Just reading this, no matter the text, brings tears to my eyes to have this connection. Come the 19th of this month, my dad will have been a light in Heaven for 14 years. Sometimes it feels he’s been gone for a minute, and other times decades. No matter the years, I both miss him and am grateful to have had him as a confidant, guide, friend, and father.

His wisdom was so very strong and passionate for all things humane, kind, and compassionate. I pray you have people like him in your life to help on this adventure called life. Although he is gone from the earth, his lessons live on in those blessed to have known him.

Moral of this Story: Show love now for those you love. “Life is short, and we don’t have much time to gladden the hearts of those who walk the way with us.” ~ Henri-Frederic Amiel