HUGE progress with Lucy today!!!

So I haven't been on this site in forever. The kittens who all got homes are doing wonderful and Chippie's owner never came for her and now we're keeping her along with Thunder (they love each other so much and cuddle nightly) and Thunder, CHippie, and Annie are getting fixed on the 13th.

But back to the point of this thread.

We've had Lucy in our basement for 4-5 months now and she comes up to eat and drink and play with the other cats and watch the fish and explore and just do cat things and she'll lie down 3 feet away from us and wash herself and fold her little arms under her body (since she trusts us enough to know we won't run at her)

 went into the kitchen to get food and she was in there so I started talking to her then petting our one cat (who is also her bff) Sammie and then crouched down and slowly moved towards her. I was 3 feet from her when Thunder came over so I started moving my fingers around and getting her to play. Lucy was really interested and I started moving my fingers towards her and moved towards her again.

When I was only about a foot away from her, SHE CAME UP TTO ME, TOUCHED HER NOSE TO MY HAND, THEN PLAYFULLY BATTED MY HAND!!!!

She then turned and ran a couple feet away because she touched me, but SHE CAME UP TO ME AND TOUCHED ME AND WANTED TO PLAY!!!!

I got up and walked away from her and I was so excited and happy I was actually shaking. This is HUGE progress with this little 2 year old and I couldn't be happier!

Petting the other cats in front of her, talking to her, spending time with her, and letting her pick her limits has done wonders! I just can't wait until she lets me do this again and then finally when we can touch her!!! We want to brush that pretty coat so badly!!!

First,congratulations for what you are doing for feral cats and the patience,time and efforts you put in it.

I myself also take care for several feral ones in my yard and know how hard and slow things happen sometimes especially when the cat had never been tamed before or had been mistreated by the previous owner.

With one of them I waited nearly a year before had a chance to take her in my hands and later bath her and vaccinate.Poor kitty was in such a bad condition and so stressed  that at some point I thought I would never have a success with her.

I'm not sure whether Fortuna rewards the brave,but for certain she rewards the patient.

These are pictures from last night. She comes out with us out in the living room and does very cat like things (scratch scratching posts, play with toys or other kitties, lies in cat beds, watches the fish, watches the guinea pig, etc) Last night she went and lied in the cat tree hanging out with Felix. Just look how pretty she is! I want to brush her so badly. I can't wait until that nose touch and playful bat turns into something more (or at least turns into something she won't scare herself by doing so she'll actually stay and play!)

But here she is, our more timid/shy than feral kitty, the Lucy monster!

And I was just informed that she FELL ASLEEP THERE and when my parents got up to go to bed, she watched them but stayed there and my dad's chair isn't far from the cat tree (maybe 5 feet) and I'm just so happy with the progress we've made with her!

What a pretty girl! It sounds like your patience is being rewarded. You and Lucy are both doing a great job! I hope she'll let you brush her soon. My cat loves it. I hope Lucy does too!