Molly's Progress

This time I intend to keep one thread ongoing.

Right now we're taking two steps forward and one step back. She's coming to us for affection now, then realizing that we're humans and swatting at us. DH and I both have scratches, but nothing major. She's actually beginning to pur when petted!

Hurray for progress!

that's great! and frustrating! you want to believe that when they make progress that it will be complete, cross-it-off-the-list kind of thing. but cats have such complex personalities, they give us that "oh yeah, you're people!" thing. i have a semi-feral who sleeps/plays with the other cats, but still doesn't know what to make of us, even tho we're the ones doling out the food, cat-dancer, etc.!

sounds like Molly's about to be converted, in any case! keep it up.

She's doing great, really! She's started coming out for affection *on her own* and asking for it. She's still swatting us when she's done, but we're learning how to deal with that, and what kind of petting she likes in particular.

I can't say that she really knows "what to make of us" but she's doing *wonderfully*. DH thinks she's probably one of the most intelligent cats he's ever encountered. We've been very lucky with her!

Molly has begun to use the litter box! Yay! She seems to be watching everything that Reagan does from her hiding spot under the end table, and Reagan has been a very patient teacher, almost like a mother. I'm not sure whether or not she ever had kittens before she was fixed, but I suspect not. She's been amazing with the new kitties though!

The only problem that we're having right now is that Whisper doesn't want to let her get to the food bowl, so she keeps trying to go outside to eat out there

I think we've figured out the swatting. Or rather that I've figured out the swatting. She's doing it when our hand draws back to pet again. It seems to be a fear instinct that may or may not relate to having been struck around the head, though I doubt this is the case. My hand probably simply reminds her of a predator coming at her, possibly even a raptor.

What I'm trying to do now is to drop my hand before giving her the chance to rub her own head against it again. It seems to be working. She rubs for as long as she wants to and then backs off again.

On another note, she *loves* our dog (Dozer), but remains fearful of both of the male cats. She knew Baloo from outside, I believe, but Whisper is being downright mean to her right now. Oddly, he's beginning to get along with Baloo (YAY!).