Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my, I am SOOO excited! Yippeee Snowflake! LOL

Just about 10 minutes ago, my guys came in for their late-night treats (they absolutely live for Temptations) and as she's been doing, Snowflake came to the door, where she knows I'll throw her some (I always try to tempt her with some from my hand, but so far she wasn't ready to do that. She likes when I toss them though, she'll run to them, eat them, and come back to the door).

Earlier tonight when I first tempted her by holding some out, she actually walked towards me and was about 1 1/2 feet from my hand when she decided she wasn't ready and backed up about 2 steps. I was really excited about that, but instead of throwing them, I put some down about 1 foot from her. she did come in to eat it as long as I stayed still and looked away at the TV.

I thought that was amazing, until just a few minutes ago.

same scenario, but this time when I held out my hand with the treats to her, Little Big Man decided he didn't want the ones I gave him, he wanted the ones in my hand, and started eating them.

Snowflake I guess got jealous, or figured it was safe if LBM was eating it, and to my total shock she RUSHED OVER TO MY HAND!!!!!!!!

She stopped with her mouth maybe 1/2 inch from my fingers and realized how close she was, and then backed off a bit. I stayed calm and let LBM keep eating, while I gently called her.

She tentatively started coming over, then pulled back, then leaned forward, back and forth about 3 times, trying to figure out what to do. Then LMB knocked a few off my hand and she came over and ate the ones that fell under my hand. The top of her head had to be maybe an inch away from my hand, but her head was completely under my hand.

I was tempted to lower my hand just so it would gently touch her on the top of her head for the 1st time, but decided against it and went with my oriiginal plan which was to let her make physical contact with me first, no matter how much I'm tempted to approach her. I was very good!

By then LBM was full and left. I tried to hold some more out to Snowflake, but at that pont she was a bit more cautious without her buddy there showing her it was safe, and that was okay. I did put the rest down maybe a foot away from me and turned to the TV, and she did come eat it.

I can't believe how much progress she made tonight. This is after a couple of weeks of a real plateau. I am so excited.

She was 1/2" from my hand by her own choice!

I can hadly wait for the day she will trust me enough to eat from my hand and maybe even let me pet her.

She is just such a sweetie. If anyone hasn't seen it, here's a picture of her. They put it up early, and "nervous" is an understatement. They don't know what happend but someone in getting her to the rescue she was horribly traumatized. They told me I was her last try before she was going to be let back out somewhere (because the colony she was in was cleaned out by the owners).

Actually, in person, her eyes are much rounder. She is truly one of the prettiest cats I've ever seen, and this picture does not even come close to her facial expression. She's very expressive and wide-eyed and gorgeous.

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=5894393

HISSY YOU ARE AN ANGEL. THANK YOU FROM ME AND SNOWFLAKE AND WHOEVER IS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GIVE HER A FOREVER HOME IN THE FUTURE (although why do I have a feeling it will be me? LOL)

I swear, this made me feel like I just got the Nobel Peace Prize or something. My heart is just soaring. Nothing else could be like this feeling.

A little PS to the above....

With all this happening tonight I went through almost 2 bags of the Temptations. I have a feeling tomorrow it will be like having a bunch of kids who ate too much cotton candy and hot dogs at the fair, and they'll be throwing up all day. LOL But it was and will be worth every minute.

This is so super! Snowflake, you're such a beautiful little girl!

Originally Posted by Charmed654321

he wanted the ones in my hand, and started eating them.
Y
Snowflake I guess got jealous, or figured it was safe if LBM was eating it, and to my total shock she RUSHED OVER TO MHAND!!!!!!!!

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a good example it is easier to socialize a shy feral with help of own friendly cat.
Much easier than do it alone.

Good you didnt touched the head. Stroke the back at first, not head.

Debby-

You are quite welcome, and yes ambassador cats are great when it comes to socializing ferals. Sounds like Snow doesn't need a home, she has found one, with someone who now understands that the best way to come to the bonding is to let the cat call the shots and not the humans. Snow may never be that perfect lap cat, I sense a lot of trauma between her and people of the past. But you have come a long way in the lessons this cat wishes you to learn. I would bet that this starts you on a long, and sometimes sorrowful path of helping to save other ferals that have been given up on. Good job!

That is just wonderful! You are definitely the right person for Snowflake...she needs that patience and love. I gave up a semiferal (Jill) for adoption...and she actually tamed up nicely at the second foster home, but then once adopted she escaped a few days later.

I could have easily kept her...she was so quiet and not any bother at all. And it is hard for this type of kitty to trust. Often they learn to just trust one person, and it won't transfer to someone else!

Thanks for all you are doing for Snowflake!

Good girl, Snowflake! Just goes to show how patience, love and moving at the cat's pace can lead to trust. Witnessing that progress is so rewarding. Congratulations! Snowflake's a beautiful girl and it does sound like she's found a home!

The only problem I might encounter with that is the rescue group I foster for has a very strict policy about their foster homes keeping any of the cats they foster.

The reason they do this is because many times a foster home has decided to keep a cat or kitten then were fostering, then because they kept the cat, did not have the time or room to foster anymore. And foster homes being at the premium they are here, and new ones so hard to find, they had to weigh the possibility of getting the fostered cats another home (which this group seems to have a very good track record of doing) against losing a dependable, safe foster home for the next cat that needs it. I can see their point.

Bottom line, I am one person, who is disabled living without help in a small one bedroom apartment with 3 cats of my own. If I keep Snowflake, with 4 cats (I can just barely afford things now, it will be a stretch), in reality I am not going to be able to foster for them as I have been. I won't be able to keep 5 adult cats in this house, especially if I had to separate one. Since there's absolutely no way to do that here with 4 other cats, they'd lose a foster home, as well as someone to help socialize the next Snowflake that comes along.

After all, that's another problem. Most people who foster don't want the ones like Snowflake who come with serious problems and big thick gloves to protect oneself. They want the pregnant queens, and the babies, and the sweet older cats.

Snowflake's first night here was quite an event. She hid in the utility closet in my kitchen I had emptied out with her face buried in her little bed and if you as much as took a step toward her she'd hiss and go for you. I left her alone that night and a while later heard horrible banging. I ran in and she was up in the little tiny space between the cabinets and the ceiling.

My gut instinct was to just leave her be, that she'd find her way down herself and if that's where she felt safe, fine. I went to bed.

The next morning when I went into the kitchen, she had found the small opening in the back of the refrigerator where the motor was and had wedged herself in there head first and wouldn't come out. But getting there she left a path of destruction, things all over, including a stove top covered with urine and feces. My stove. How gross is that?

I worked on that stove inside and out for hours with bleach and scouring powder and lysol and antibacterial anything I could find.

How many foster homes do you know that would laugh it off and be willing to still try and work with the cat. In fact, when I called my contact at the rescue and started to tell her what happened, she asked me when I wanted her to come and pick up the cat. She was surprised when I said I wasn't going to give up that easily. My faith was rewarded however. She has not had a litterbox incident since then and has been the perfect potty kitty.

So you can see the quandry. Keeping a fourth cat here would severly limit my ability to help the next Snowflake (I couldn't keep her in the kitchen from my others like I did with Snowflake .. with her here there is no other separate space). It's a difficult decision for me and for them.

So the reason for their policy. So we shall see.

The one good thing is that they are responsible enough to not remove Snowflake from here until such time she would be able to reasonably adapt elsewhere, which would take a lot more time. And if it never happened, she'd be here forever anyway. LOL

With me for some odd reason, when it comes to cats, what is meant to be will be. I just leave it up the Cat Gods. They always seem to know exactly what to do and when to do it, whether I like it or not.

Originally Posted by Charmed654321

I am one person, who is disabled living without help in a small one bedroom apartment with 3 cats of my own.

After all, that's another problem. Most people who foster don't want the ones like Snowflake who come with serious problems and big thick gloves to protect oneself. They want the pregnant queens, and the babies, and the sweet older cats.

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You are doing a marvelous task.
What do I think of you and people like you? Once upon a time people were buying relicts of saints to buy some peace for their immortal souls. But the relicts were usually fake, and the salespersons were often fake. Therefore, usually no real peace for their souls either...
But helping our smaller brethren, may it be abandoned or feral cats, or fellow humans in distress - is real thing. Whateve you believe in God or not.
You are a hero of our time, Charmed. God bless you as I do.

My gut instinct was to just leave her be, that she'd find her way down herself and if that's where she felt safe, fine.

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Yes exactly. Shy ferals are usually not aggressive, save some noticeable exceptions: when captured they do usually have defensive aggressivity yes.
And when arriwing to the foster home, they may still display this defensive aggressivity. The trick is to open the cage/transport carrier in the quarantene room, and leave them alone there. With plenty of time to cool down and notice nobody is mean to them or threating them. They usually hide and watch out... And if not threatened they dare to look out, begins to get out...Now being shy but not aggressive save some hissing. etc etc.

Your difficulty Charmed is you dont have place for a receiving / quarantene room, whatever you do is in your own living quarters...

But as you manage it - excellent!

YEAH!!! congrats Charmed on making a dent in her armor she is a beautiful little girl

How is it with LBM? Im worried and concerned.

I cant find your thread in the Health forum. Was the thread deleted by some reason?

thinking about you all!

Varm hugs.

/StefanZ