Poor Pengy thread is gone

[noni]

You guys are great. Some of the stuff is there...some isn't. I've tried to post a reply to the original thread, to see if I could resurrect it. Didn't work. Won't let me log in....

But maybe if I link it through here, it can restore it that way...
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache...en&lr=&strip=1

I'll keep trying, and the computer expert will be at the office tomorrow, so maybe he'll have some ideas....if we could figure this out, we could restore all the lost stuff.

Drat. That didn't work. But I'll keep playing around, and see what happens. Maybe I can find a magic back door or something....

Best-
Michele

 

[hissy]

I did email Google to see if they had a magic formula where we could take the important theads and transplant them back to where they belong.

Surprisingly, they answered me immediately and said they did not have that capability yet, and gave me the link to this spot:

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

 

[flisssweetpea]

Aww Michelle, I'm so sorry you Pengy thread has gone. But Pengy knows all the love you have given to her, and we remember all the wonderful care you have lavished on this little kitty.

I hope the techies manage to sort something out though and restore you thread.

Keep up the good work!

Best wishes

 

[yosemite]

What is the latest update on Pengy? How are you all doing?

 

[mamacat]

Yes do tell, how is our girl?

 

[noni]

Our girl is well.

Pengy and I have had a semi-regular play date; whenever I've got about 15 minutes where I can be quiet in myself, I get the feather wand. It's actually more like a feather duster, with long stringy peacock feathers on the end. I sit in the rocker, and play with her and Simon and Pie, taking turns, giving them all attention and play. I've also taken to leaving treats for her again, because as Hissy said, she's "caught" her prey, and needs the reward.

Tonight, I found a quiet space inside, and set out to play with my shy, scared girl. We take our turns, Simon demonstrating how it's to be done, Pie helping him along. And now I offer it to Pengy; she doesn't interact immediately, I have to tease her into playing. I thump it gently on the back floor of the condo, and wiggle it around. It's grabbed her interest, and I sit down on the floor about 12 inches away from her, thumping and wiggling the duster. She attacks it over and over, at one point chasing it onto the front part of the first floor of the condo. She looks at me, realizes how close she's come (I'm averting my eyes), and backs off. But she's not done playing. We sit there, playing, for about 15 minutes. She's done, I can tell, and now it's time to see if she'll let me stroke her for a bit with the duster.

I very gently, with the edges of the feathers on the duster, stroke her chest, and her front legs. She trembles, expecting harshness or pain, but I stay gentle and slow. I am silent, now, and the other cats have left us alone for this part (they always know, somehow, when we're trying something new with Pengy, or something she's not too tolerant of...they sit and encourage her, I imagine, from their spots on the bed.). As she relaxes and stops trembling, I move the duster to her chin, and then spend about 4 minutes stroking her lower back and hips. I keep this up through two body position changes - there is no indication she's mad or upset, but I figure she's getting a bit gitzy and fidgety, so I back off.

I lay the duster on the floor, and Simon attacks it and takes off running with it in his mouth...he was just waiting for his turn to play alone with it. I reach into the treat bag I have with me, get 4 of them out, and kneel back in front of the condo, sideways. I slowly reach my hand out, and extend to the back part of the 1st floor. She whaps me twice, NO claws, no hissing. Just rapidfire whaps; I tell her no, Pengy, very quietly and calmly, and lay the treats on the floor. She wastes no time letting me move my hand - she reaches forward and gobbles up the treats before I can get all the way out of her "space."

Several observations. Her fear is not nearly as large as it was in the past. And her patience with me, and the beginnings of trust, are both growing. She's coming closer to me during play - relaxing into the game, not caring where I am for 20, 30 seconds at a time.

I am so proud of this love. She's coming along. I don't think we'll get a beadbutt by Christmas, but it's coming, I know it is.

YAY Pengy!!!

Best-
Michele

 

[pinkdaisy226]

It sounds like she's making progress - I'm glad she's starting to trust you more and getting more patient. And I'm glad she's starting to relax - that's great! Yay Pengy.. keep us updated!

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by noni

I am so proud of this love. She's coming along. I don't think we'll get a beadbutt by Christmas, but it's coming, I know it is.

as are we!!! her fanclub is still right here and still cheering her on - and of course still so very proud of her

maybe no headbutt by christmas - but your right it surely is close by

I am itching for that first headbutt

 

[yosemite]

I don't think I could go a day without reading this thread. Pengy's story is just so amazing and you are so wonderful to be so patient and loving with her. I'm going to be praying for the miracle of the headbutt to be a Christmas present to you. You deserve it and so does Pengy.

 

[flisssweetpea]

Michele it's lovely to hear from you and Pengy. She's such a brave girl

- doesn't it make you so sad to see the poor kitty trembling - they must be so frightened in that tiny body wondering what's going to happen next. But you're doing a great job - she trusts you so much, gradually she's overcoming her fear.

That's how we started with Adelaide. We make sure she gets a bit of a fuss everyday, whether it's with her wand toy or our hand. But she still doesn't know it's our hand that's stroking her - if she sees a hand come anywhere near her she gets terrified

. But we're both taking baby steps with our little friends.

Remember where you started with her - she's come such a long way. Bless her

.

Keep up with your wonderful work, I'm with you in spirit all the way

and can't wait to hear Pengy's next update

 

[captiva]

GO PENGY GO!!!!

 

[valanhb]

Michele I'm so happy to hear of even more progress with Pengy! She's such a special little girl, and it seems your other kitties know that too.

 

[noni]

Originally Posted by valanhb

Michele I'm so happy to hear of even more progress with Pengy! She's such a special little girl, and it seems your other kitties know that too.

More.

Last night was my office's Christmas Party, and I brought a friend. He was the designated driver, and he got here a bit early. I figured Pengy would be back under the bed until he left (ahem, he was sleeping on the sofa...), and so just put food out as usual. She was under the bed when we went to the party, but low and behold, when we came in, and I stumbled to bed, there she was, in the kitty condo, like usual.

I so didn't expect her to be willing to be there while Michael was here - new presence, potential threat, the whole works. But no, she was happily ensconced in her usual spot in the condo. I was very proud of her.

She really has claimed that as her spot, and this is very very good.

Just thought I'd update you all on this.

Best-
Michele

 

[captiva]

That's really, really wonderful!!! She is feeling so safe in her condo now, isn't she

 

[rita]

This is great! She has come such a long way!

 

[babygirl]

That's great, I'm happy for you and Pengy!

 

[wellingtoncats]

Sorry that the first Pengy thread was gone - but I did enjoy reading her last update!

 

[noni]

A big day for Pengy yesterday!

I had a quiet day, so had enough time to do 2 play sessions with her. The first one went fine, about 20 minutes of wand play and wand stroking (including her chin and ears - first time for that!), and then I caught her "I've had enough" signals. I laid the treats down for her, and all was well. She snatched them right up! I was tickled pink, no doubt.

And then last evening, I did our normal session, too. I sat on the floor, and played with Simon and Pie with the wand for a bit, and then brought it over and behind the condo for Pengy. She wasn't in the most active mood, only chased it a bit and not terribly aggressively, so I got up, sat on the rocker, and we went to the stroking part pretty quickly. I couldn't access her face, which was fine, so I spent about 4-5 minutes stroking her back (from her neck to her bottom), with no negative reaction from her whatsoever. To be honest, no positive reaction, either, but still, no negative was what I was watching for.

I was using the wand in my right hand, and, with my left hand - one finger - I put my finger on top of the feathers in the wand while it was stroking her. This continued for about a dozen strokes, and she didn't have any issue with it. I added a second finger, and, about another dozen strokes later, I took away the feather wand. I figured she would realize that it was my fingers now, not the wand, and she'd bolt or fight or something, but it felt right to do this.

And she didn't bolt at all. I was able to stroke her with my two fingers for about 15 strokes (or so), and then decided I'd pushed her far enough. I took my hand away, and just sat there. When I got up, I set down another few treats right next to her, and she didn't have any problem with that, either.

WOW. She has some silky fur. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO-EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Do you have any idea what it's like to finally know what her fur feels like? It's a great feeling...this sweetheart who's shared my bedroom for 9 months and I've never known what her fur feels like.

A huge show of patience and trust in me, because I believe she had to know the difference between the feathers and my fingers...she had to! Maybe not, but I think she did. It's got to feel different to her. No scritching, only two fingers, but still - it's got to feel totally different.

Big, big step. Go Pengy, Go Pengy, GO PENGY!!!!!

Best-
Michele

 

[pinkdaisy226]

YAY!!!

I'm so happy for both of you - that's awesome!

 

[mrsd]