Trapping for 2nd time?

Yesterday was a very good day for Patches! She ate much more than the previous day! Yay!!!

I'm trying to figure out if I have scared her 2 times or if she's getting more comfortable with me being in the room - I know that is a total opposite, but here is what happened:

Last night I was reaching towards the food and she was in the carrier. I always look around for where she is just so I don't get too close and freak her out. I always say a quiet hello to her. Well, later I went to the litter box area, and she quietly scuttled/ran to the big box right across the cat carrier. I wasn't sure if I startled her when I was near her food area....

Then she basically did that again this morning - ran from the box to the cat carrier. (I do her food stuff first then move to litter box.)

I try to not move too fast or startle her, but it's possible I did startle or... Or possibly she is getting more comfortable in her new space and moving around with me in the room...? I really am not sure. But regardless, she's eating much better and I am very relieved.

I understand the confusion. Sounds to me like she's comfortable enough to move while you're there.

I would say that she is getting more comfortable. Almost sounds like she is trying to see what will happen. If she comes out into the open for just a moment are you going to eat her or leave her be. When you don't pounce on her and eat her, then she will eventually try being bolder.

Yup I would say she is testing you. Don't chase or try to grab her when she does this. Eventually she'll figure out you aren't scary at all. She already starting to figure it out cause you're feeding her.

She's eating very much normal now!! I am thrilled! She ate ALL of the wet food I put out last night!!! So that is awesome. THANK YOU ALL for the support and suggestions during that stressful period where she wasn't eating!!!

She hasn't moved in front of me since, but it may be because she has been hanging out in the box in the middle of the room the past several times I've been in! So she probably can't "safely" leave that since it's a bit close to me, in her opinion.

I am starting to think Batman has figured out something is in the room. She does make a lot of racket (jumping around at night, exploring, etc.) and he has been spending time upstairs outside of her room instead of with us at night. They cannot touch eachother - I have those plastic draft things on the bottom of the door for the time being.

I had put a few toys in her room and last night I heard one of those plastic balls with the bell rolling around. I wonder what she thought of that - I'm guessing she was terrified.

Now that she's eating, I will grace her with more of my wonderful presence to see what she does

Will keep you posted.

Originally Posted by killerapple

Now that she's eating, I will grace her with more of my wonderful presence to see what she does

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You go girl!

How exciting! I'm so glad - I can "hear" the relief in your voice.

...what a lucky girl she is, you haven't tried to eat her!

Batman DEFINITELY knows she's there - he can smell her.

I'm hanging out in her room on my laptop, importing some CDs. She's across the room in the very back of the cat carrier.

I looked up a few minutes ago to see her staring at me - she had her head down laying on the blanket in the front of the cat carrier and was just staring at me! I looked up at her and blinked, then turned away back to my laptop. She looked at me for a while, then she closed her eyes. She stayed that way for a few minutes, then she turned back around and went to the back of the carrier.

I guess it's good she was checking me out.

Well, she is back staring at me! I will try to be quiet and harmless and not look back at her. She looks like she's laying down sleeping, maybe hoping when she opens her eyes, that the big scary monster disappears

It's so cute when they get all confused. Big scary monster isn't so big - but still SCARY - but brings me food - but not scary vibe - but it is BIG - but brings me food -

She's getting there.

The past couple nights, she's been hiding out in the box in the middle of the room - unfortunately the opening is facing the food, so away from where I sit. (I can't move it because she's in it!!)

Last night, she moved around in the box and yawned, but didn't come out with me there.

Tonight, she waited about 35 minutes, then she slooooooooooooooooowly crawled out of box to poke her head up, turn around, and stare at me. I said hello, looked past her, ignored her. She stared, then slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwly crept out out of box, turned back to stare. Then she slowwwwwly walked to the nightstand (that I placed under window), jumped on top of it, looked back at me, then stood up on her hind legs to look out the window (she also glanced at the door). Sad - looked like she wanted to go outside. She stayed up there for a minute, then slowly came down, stared, then went back into the box.

I tried to just ignore her. Hopefully she'll eat in front of me soon - I guess that is the next step.

Think of the window as Cat TV. I'm not so sure she understands that's where she was.

Next time she's not in the box (if there is one), try turning it a bit so the opening faces the side - that way she can angle herself in it to see you.

But sounds like she's doing really well! I LOVE your patience. YOU are doing GREAT! Keep up the good work!

Trust me, I am not usually this patient I wish I could apply the patience I have with them to other things (and people!!) in life.

Last night I went to visit her a bit later than usual - not smart. I knocked on the door, heard a THUMP (jump), waited a second, then went in and she was in the middle of the room "exposed" - she looked at me, then froze, then she jumped on the nightstand, put her paws up on the window, then jumped down, and scuttled (not super fast run) to the safety of the cat carrier. It was definitely not super frantic, but I did catch her off guard. The only good out of that was that I was able to rotate that box she had been hiding out in previously. I have it so when she's in it later, she can still be out of sight from me, but easily shift so she can see me - like you suggested.

She didn't venture out to stare at me last night, but she was watching me very intently this morning when I was doing her chores, moving her head in the carrier to see me better. She still hasn't hissed or anything at me (I keep my distance!)

I tell you what though. I cannot wait until she is all cleared and I can stop worrying about transporting bits of litter or what not from her room to the rest of house/Batman. That aspect is the only thing driving me nuts - changing shoes/socks/clothes etc. I think the vet was a bit nervous to give her a real good look-over. They did the bloodwork, did her combo test and vaccines, put Frontline Plus on, and said she looked healthy.. but I don't know if they checked her out for anything else external parasite-wise. (I didn't have a poo sample but I did have her take 1 dewormer pill last week (via treat) - I can either do another one in a week or just wait until her next check-up and possibly switch to a different flea application that may take care of worms.. I don't know). So yeah.. that's the only thing driving me nuts! Just don't want anything to hurt little Batman.

Sorry for another super long post!

I'm the queen of super long posts, so no worries on my end. I love the detail!

Things really do sound like they're going well. !!!

As to the dewormer, I'd probably just do the next pill in a week and wait a few days, then get a poo sample to the vet.

That sounds great - that was the dewormer plan I was thinking. She goes to the vet again on 12/4. Closer to that day, I'll start limiting her hiding location so she only has the cat carrier.

I really wish I knew her story...! But that's not as important as the future, I realize.

I will keep you posted! I guess this thread is turning into a play by play of Patches' inside transition.

I am enjoying reading about Patches' progress. I can't wait to hear when she gets the all clear from the vet.

Last night when I went to visit her, she was again out in the open, despite the knocking on door. She moved to be halfway covered by the table, then froze and watched me. I slowly sat down and quietly opened my book and ignored her. She stared at me for a while, then got as low to the ground as possible and slowly went to the cat carrier. She stayed in there and ignored me. When I was cleaning up things later, she was moving her head around to watch, but she didn't poke her head out when I was reading.

This morning was the first morning she was out as well - she was in middle of room, then she went to the cat carrier.

Not too exciting, but definitely a change regardless.

Happy Friday everyone!

You're getting less and less scary!

What about grabbing some Gerber's chicken baby food, putting a dollop in a bowl and setting it out - near her carrier next time she goes in there when you go in, then turning around and sitting down where you usually do and reading?

Originally Posted by LDG

You're getting less and less scary!

What about grabbing some Gerber's chicken baby food, putting a dollop in a bowl and setting it out - near her carrier next time she goes in there when you go in, then turning around and sitting down where you usually do and reading?

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If I buy baby food, my husband might have a heart attack

Joking aside, that's a good idea. I have to start giving her an incentive and more happy associations with me.

She definitly at a point where she needs to start associating you with really good and special things.