Our new little girl is slowly adjusting to all the changes in her life. She went from being completely alone in a silent house to a new house with new humans and 12 other cats (who love to make noise, especially when the humans are trying to sleep)! It's been an adjustment for her, but she is coming along.
At first, she hid under a dresser for a day, then she spent most of the next day in her cat carrier (as if it were her den). Then she took some treats we gently tossed to her, since she hissed every time we reached to pet her.
Yesterday, there were very tentative pets allowed, interspersed with hissing. Every once in a while she'd let down her guard and give a headbump or a quick lick. But she was very much on alert, still. A lot of hissing, and whew! does she have bad breath!
Interestingly enough, even though she is an orange cat, she has black lips!
This morning, she greeted me with a plaintive meow. I reached over and she snuggled into my hand and let me scritch behind her ears. We had about 2 minutes of petting and scritching until she remembered that she was supposed to be scared and hissed at me. I withdrew and sat back, talking softly to her and doing the slow kitty-eye-blink thing
She came back over and gave me the happy kitty rub on my ankle. Without thinking, I reached down and picked her up. She hissed when I put her on my lap, and then settled in like she belonged there. She stayed about a minute, I would guess, then jumped off and darted across the room. When I didn't grab for her, she trotted back over for more scritches behind the ears and under the chin
She is eating, drinking and using the box, as well as sitting on the windowsill watching the squirrels and birds in the yard. She still flinches whenever there is a sudden movement or noise. But I think everything is going to be just fine, it's just a matter of time!
At first, she hid under a dresser for a day, then she spent most of the next day in her cat carrier (as if it were her den). Then she took some treats we gently tossed to her, since she hissed every time we reached to pet her.
Yesterday, there were very tentative pets allowed, interspersed with hissing. Every once in a while she'd let down her guard and give a headbump or a quick lick. But she was very much on alert, still. A lot of hissing, and whew! does she have bad breath!
This morning, she greeted me with a plaintive meow. I reached over and she snuggled into my hand and let me scritch behind her ears. We had about 2 minutes of petting and scritching until she remembered that she was supposed to be scared and hissed at me. I withdrew and sat back, talking softly to her and doing the slow kitty-eye-blink thing
She came back over and gave me the happy kitty rub on my ankle. Without thinking, I reached down and picked her up. She hissed when I put her on my lap, and then settled in like she belonged there. She stayed about a minute, I would guess, then jumped off and darted across the room. When I didn't grab for her, she trotted back over for more scritches behind the ears and under the chin
She is eating, drinking and using the box, as well as sitting on the windowsill watching the squirrels and birds in the yard. She still flinches whenever there is a sudden movement or noise. But I think everything is going to be just fine, it's just a matter of time!
