Jimmy is having a breakthrough!!

[jcribbs]

Everyone is now frontline plus-ed..

Took nearly an hr and a half. But it went without a hitch for all the cats....

Tomorrow morning I'll do the dogs. They are all outside sleeping in their doghouse. It is raining and they are muddy....

Now..........bedtime.

 

[booktigger]

Wonderful update Jenn, he seems to be coming along quickly now.

 

[graciecat]

Jenn, that's so wonderful.
Yesterday really was a holiday in more ways than one for you and Jimmy.

 

[jcribbs]

He is doing fine this morning and I have already given him a good morning petting. And I was thinking.

As far as his biting........ Socks used to be a biter too and I worked her out of it. I could just touch her back legs and she would whirl and draw blood by biting. I had to quit jumping back and I started tapping her lip with one finger saying no. She didn't know she wasn't supposed to bite. It took a few bites to teach her not to do it. I remember the last time she did this. She held my finger in her mouth but did not draw blood. She just looked at me. I told her no over and over and she released me. She never did it again. She is extremely loving now.

JImmy has not bit me but this morning while I was petting him and while he was enjoying it, he opened his mouth in that "biting way" that I recogonize.. He did not hiss or anything but since elly told me he was a biter I am being careful... I continued petting him but said NO firmly... He shut his mouth. I am hoping since he has heard me use that word in the past with different situations that he knows what it means. Jimmy is very very intelligient.

Time to brush now..... everyone seems very happy today.. Got feeding chores to do.....

 

[graciecat]

Aww, sweet little Jimmy.
He's probably like Socks and doesn't know that he's not supposed to bite or at least try to bite.

 

[jcribbs]

I am comfortable around Socks now...... She doesn't bite anymore at all but for a few months after we got her, I had to keep her away from my face. Now she is all lovey dovey. She is a tux female...and very beautiful..... bright green eyes..... this pic does not do her justice. Her eyes are incredibly green and this pic does not show that. She is georgeous. She was given to us by her owner who had always kept her outside. She never got attention. And she was a breeding machine. She had litter and litter after litter....... Now she prefers being indoors and lounging around......

this is socks... the ex-biter

 

[jcribbs]

JImmy absolutely loves mama kitty..

When I go to pet him, I start with another cat and then he walks up and joins in. I can put both my hand on his sides and stroke him full body back and forth over and over and he really get into it.. If I scratch the side of his face, he puts his face down and mashes against my hand in enjoyment.

I don't see how we could have a major setback at this time. I see Jimbalina only moving forward from this point...... He has absolutely broken through the trust barrier.....

I suspect he will be a lap cat one day... He is totally different than Star..... Star has never acted this way.... Never. She has never gotten into being petted like Jimmy is.....

Maybe it's the torti in her......... I don't know but we have had her at least three years. I have held her, brushed her and loved her but she has never been like Jimmy is doing right now.....

He is much much more loving than my beautiful little Star with her feral halo...

I am a little weepy right now when I think about her. I want her to enjoy being loved on too....She touched my heart so long ago. I have tried so long and so hard with her. Jimmy is one in a million...... I hope he can be an influence on her. She is my last hurdle with Jimbalina doing so well... She is a wonderful little kitty and she is happy but she just doesn't like touch too much... She isn't afraid exactly but she darts when I come around. Not sure how to change that. I can frontline her ... I can worm her... I can give her a shot.. But she won't let me love on her..... She won't let me pet her. She doesn't enjoy it at all. She enjoys being brushed but that is it. It goes no further.

I have got to find a way to reach her and get in her heart....

Here's most of my babies......
Can't finish till I get my camera back....

 

[graciecat]

Oh there's little fur butt Toe Man.
He's such a beautiful boy.
I remember when he was so sick, but thank goodness he pulled through.

Socks is a beautiful girl.

Maybe it is the Tortie in Star that makes her not want to be touched or picked up.
I grabbed Annabelle out of the middle of that street going on 5 or 6 years now...I can't remember exactly, I have it written down somewhere but I'm to lazy to get up

and to this day I can't pick her up....if I walk up to her and try to pet her she runs.
If she's sleeping and I pet her she'll lay their for a couple of seconds until it dawns on her that I'm touching her and she's off like a shot.
Annabelle wants petted on Annabelle's terms.
If one of us is laying on the couch at night, we'll hang our hand down over the edge and Annabelle will walk back and forth under our hand...she sort of pets herself.
Maybe you could try that with Star?
I know it won't be as easy for you considering you have a lot more cats than I do.
I can see them now I lined up to walk back and forth under Mommy's hand

Maybe if she sees that Jimmy is now interacting more with you, she'll do the same thing.

 

[jcribbs]

good ideas on star......

I 'll give it a try......

Twice she has laid on my feet when I was sitting on the couch and my feet were covered. She will get real alert if I wiggle my toes under the covers. A couple of times she has even swatted them like a toy since she can't see they are me...

She usually just avoids me... hehe

I need to push her a little harder like I have done with Jimmy.... I've tried the relaxed mode for a long time.....

 

[jcribbs]

JImmy got his first kiss..........

On the little tip of his tail...... It was sweeter than sugar!!!!!

 

[eilcon]

Originally Posted by jcribbs

JImmy got his first kiss..........

On the little tip of his tail...... It was sweeter than sugar!!!!!

Hey, Jenn, are you sure this is Jimmy we're talking about?

Getting kisses and enjoying being petted and brushed doesn't sound like him at all.
Just kidding. I think it's great that the big guy has finally given in!

 

[jcribbs]

hahahahaha

He has given in.... I'm scared to put my face closer than his tail....... Maybe in a few weeks....... The power of the pucker!!!!

The only thing he acts leary of is when I approach him to pet him without his fellow kitties around. They make him feel safe. Once they are around me, he walks right up to me... The kitty paw he holds up..........? He only holds it up now if I approach him when he is alone. He doesn't run no matter what. But when his friends are around him, he acts like one of them. And I am serious. It is still blowing me away... When he lifts that paw, I tell him NO. And he looks at me and puts it down and for his reward I wait and just continue talking to him.... He is responding in body language and mannerisms to my voice and my body language. He understands and he is learning our language. He probably knows quite a few words. He is a smart cat.... He knows his name and he is learning NO and we are working on the words KITTY SNACK which most of the others know.

One of his favorite things is getting the side of his face scratched. IMagine that... He does not open his mouth to bite. He closes his eyes. He bends his head and really gets into it... I have yet to hear a purr though....

Juan comes home from georgia today... I hope Jimmy lets Juan touch him too.... It will concrete us in Jimmy's mind...

When I am petting him simultaneously on both side of his body, I am also slowly putting my hands further and further under his belly. I am working my way to him getting used to how it might feel to get lifted slightly... Eventually I want to hold him.... And I don't know how to explain this but it is like he is craving touch right now.. When I get my hands on him, his personality changes. It is like he is not the same Jimmy at all. He needs touch and he knows it. Remember a month or so ago, I wrote that he would approach my hand through the enclosure wire and sniff me and then rubb on some of the wood in there petting himself? It is like he needs this and he knows it... He loves it ..... he really does....

He is still a little unsure but I don't forsee any setback at all.... There is no turning back for him now. He jumped the hurdle and nothing bad happened to him. We are making happy memories to replace that darn baggage he had built up in him.... It is finally getting replaced with happy kitty memories... And it's really a tear jerker when you think about it... I am weepy now. We have come a long way....me and Jimmy. A very very long way.. Jimmy is not the only one who is going through changes. I am too... To give of yourself so much to help one little soul and to see them blossoming before your eyes is so special. I will never get over it..... I wish I understood what exactly caused this change... But I also feel a calmness in my household now that was not there before.. It is like all is how it should be. I'm not trying to be a drama queen here but I am serious. All the cats are also loving on jimmy and rubbing on him. They accepted him before but with him making the decision to accept love, they are also showing him an immense amt of kitty love too. Jimmy is getting it from all sides.. He is understanding that we all accept him now.. All of us, because we are a group. I am one of them and they are one with me.. And Jimmy is with us now. He is like a little baby again now learning the ropes and he willing to learn now..

One thing I know for sure, it will never be a future problem frontlining Jimmy or giving him his shots...

I am still not sure what caused or prompted this sudden change in him.... It was just time I guess. I remember Felix being so afraid. He was the one with the missing/infected pad.... When he decided to be a member of our group, he just one day walked in the living room, jumped on the lounge chair and lay down by Juan's leg. It blew us away and we couldn't believe it. Prior to that, he wa afraid. Now he is the most loving cat we have.

And since Jimmy is getting petted, Festus is coming in the house all the time letting me pet him too... When we moved he reverted and did not want human contact. But this week with Jimmy coming around, he is too... He has been laying in Jimmy rag bin. IN fact they all have. I made it more comfortable and Jimmy gave it up and they took it over.

It is the grass......... There is something about the grass. They have relaxed....

Jimmy even wanted to chase my mop this morning while I was mopping. He is going to end up being a very playful, happy cat and very affectionate...

Poor little Star just doesn't know what she is missing. I was reading about Gracies' annabelle. It's been years and she is a torti too.... Maybe it is a torti thing...... Little stinkers!!! Causing their mama's all this worry......

But Jimmy has turned around in every way.... It will only get better and since this major breakthrough, he will probably progress very very rapidly. He wants to do what the others do.. His true personality is shining through now.

 

[graciecat]

I went and hunted down the thread that Eileen posted about Jimmy and his Mom.
To read that and now to read all that you've accomplished with Jimmy it's just amazing.
Love can do so much for people and animals.
You could just feel the heartbreak in Eileen's words and then the happiness when you and Juan decided to take Jimmy on.

Little off topic, but I have to ask....Eileen have you ever heard anything more about Jimmy's Mom since she was taken back to the sight?

 

[eilcon]

Originally Posted by Graciecat

I went and hunted down the thread that Eileen posted about Jimmy and his Mom.
To read that and now to read all that you've accomplished with Jimmy it's just amazing.
Love can do so much for people and animals.
You could just feel the heartbreak in Eileen's words and then the happiness when you and Juan decided to take Jimmy on.

Little off topic, but I have to ask....Eileen have you ever heard anything more about Jimmy's Mom since she was taken back to the sight?

It was definitely a huge a relief when Jenn offered to take Jimmy. I couldn't bear the thought of him going back to the site especially because there was something in his eyes that made it seem as if he was begging to be loved.
I'll always be grateful to Jenn and Juan for taking a chance on him. It's been an amazing journey.

I actually got an update about Jimmy's mom, Jasmine, a couple of months ago. She and two other feral cats (all fixed) living at the site made it through the winter just fine. The coordinator of the TNR group I used to volunteer with said Jasmine looked healthy. That's her home and she's happy there.

 

[graciecat]

That's wonderful.
I'm so glad Jasmine and the other cat made it through the winter and that they're healthy and happy.

 

[jcribbs]

Aw.....I was wondering about her too..... I am so glad she is doing well..... I hated to ask in case it was bad news....It's a hard life out there.... I'm glad she has humans to help her along. Am I right in saying she is 7+ yrs old??? I think I remember you saying she was around 6 when I adopted Jimmy... She has been doing her own thing for a long time... It's good that she's happy...!!! I take it she recovered from her stroke then?? I would love to see a picture of her if it's possible.... And any pic updates you might have of his siblings too.. And of the area where Jimmy was born... That would be so cool to see and have Elly... I've always wondered about the area where he was captured and the story behind it ..

Those pics would be cool to have. I have never seen a feeding site before for a true colony of cats.

 

[eilcon]

Originally Posted by jcribbs

Aw.....I was wondering about her too..... I am so glad she is doing well..... I hated to ask in case it was bad news....It's a hard life out there.... I'm glad she has humans to help her along. Am I right in saying she is 7+ yrs old??? I think I remember you saying she was around 6 when I adopted Jimmy... She has been doing her own thing for a long time... It's good that she's happy...!!! I take it she recovered from her stroke then?? I would love to see a picture of her if it's possible.... And any pic updates you might have of his siblings too.. And of the area where Jimmy was born... That would be so cool to see and have Elly... I've always wondered about the area where he was captured and the story behind it ..

Those pics would be cool to have. I have never seen a feeding site before for a true colony of cats.

Yes, she's probably 7+ years by now. It took Millie years to trap her because she's so street smart and elusive. Millie was actually going keep Jasmine after she recovered from her stroke (at least that's what the vet thought happened), but decided to release her since she was so miserable in foster care. She said Jasmine seems much happier at the site.

I'll have to see what I can do about pictures. I may be able to dig up some of his littermates, both boys, also tuxedos, from when they were in foster care.
Since Millie was able to trap them at fairly young age, they were easily socialized and went to a home together right before Christmas in '04. Millie always felt terrible that she couldn't trap Jimmy at the same time, but he was too smart, like his mama. It'll all worked the way it was meant to though!

 

[jcribbs]

ok.......... no prob if you can't find them the pics elly. It's ok.. And your're right.... Things worked out exactly like they were supposed to.

But let me tell you the latest on Jimbalina and his little hard headed attitude........ hahaha

Juan gets home today and I have bragged and bragged about how I can now pet Jimmy and brush him and handle him with ease. So Juan is dying to watch. I had him stand off in another room watching quietly so Jimmy would feel relaxed. But Jimmy saw him and refused to let me do anything but barely touch his back..... Jimmy wanted no part of me if Juan was watching or if he could see Juan anywhere. He was a little corker... Not agressive and not running but not cooperating either...

So I go to work and I just got home and it is 1am. Juan is asleep and Jimmy is waiting for me in the kitchen....

As soon as I walk in the door he approaches me and for the last 15 mintues I have been brushing him and rubbing him with no problem. He missed me.....

He just doesn't want Juan to watch him being petted......

And he is definately my cat..

. He is waiting for me to get home and without Juan's presence, he is very happy and loving.....

Now what do you think of that???

Jimmy will get over it.... I hope.... Juan thinks I was telling him stories right now.. He doesn't believe me. He didn't say that but when Jimmy wasn't cooperating, he said " um......I expected more than that".....

Well, I hope tomorrow morning he can see the huge difference in Jimmy. All Jimmy would do in his "initial performance for his dad" is walk around me in the kitchen avoiding my pets except for letting my hand barely.......and I mean barely.......trail across his back..

He wouldn't even eat the canned kitty food I was bribing him with.... Little stinker.....

I told Jimmy tomorrow morning he needs to perform for his dad.... He said he would but we will see..... He is sitting her watching me type now....

On the serious side of things.

For quite some time Jimmy was walked around us and among us both with ease. But we weren't petting him..... This petting thing is so different to him..... He can only concentrate on one human at a time I think. He started to relax with me and then saw Juan today and froze. Two humans around him is different that one. Letting his guard down around one person is different than relaxing with one while another is there too.... I suspect that's what it is. What we take for granted is still very new to Jimmy. He is doing fine with one but he still has to learn TWO... I suspect it won't take him but a couple days...

But he will relax .. He has been relaxed in the room with us many times. Instead of Juan hiding, I am going to suggest he just carry on his normal routine of things so Jimmy won't feel anything is any different with Juan being there while he is being petted. Juan will have to ignore me petting Jimmy so Jimmy will relax around him so he can enjoy his brush again...... Juan can watch out of the corner of his eye and act like nothing out of the ordinary is going on....

Jimmy will never trust any other people but Juan and I...... and that's ok.

 

[graciecat]

Cats are like kids, Jenn.
They never do their tricks when someone else is watching.
I remember when our oldest Son said Mommy for the first time...I was so excited, but he wouldn't say it if anyone else was here.

I'm sure it's the same with Jimmy, he trusts you...not that he doesn't trust Juan...it's just like you said it's going to be one at a time.
It's probably to overwhelming for him to "perform" in front of someone else just yet.

This must be the week for cats to change behavior.
As I've said Annabelle is very standoffish with us.
But she's changed in little ways since Lizzie died...it's not that she was scared of Lizzie...in fact she got along very well with her...but it's just small things with us that have changed since Lizzie's death.
She was coming around more often to walk underneath our hands to be petted...and like I said she's now taken over the Alpha cat roll..much to the disapointment of Elliott

Last night when we went to bed Annabelle was laying on the bottom of the bed I sat right down beside her and she didn't move, she let me pet her for the longest time...I even layed my head right down next to her's...and I still have my eyes

I kept telling her what a good girl she was and she stayed right there.
Then this morning when I went to make the bed...in the past she would have jumped right down..but she stayed there this morning.
She let me pet her again and this time she let me pick her up

It didn't last long, but I actually got to pick her up...I just kept saying "Annabelle is a pretty baby" and she let me pet her while I was holding her.
Right now she's sitting on the floor next to me rubbing her head on my leg.
I don't know, but I'm starting to think there must be some kind of "Good Kitty" cloud hanging over the US this week...first Jimmy and now Annabelle!

 

[jcribbs]

That's wonderful!!! Yea Annabelle and Gracie!!!!

Isn't it a a great feeling......???

That is just too sweet. She will probably progress rapidly now since "the ice" is broken... that is so cool.......

It feels good when they rub their little kitty heads on our legs...

and you have waited a long time for this...

Keep posting about it. I want to hear MORE!!! Maybe she knows as her alpha cat role, she has to be in tune with the humans. Or maybe she is just realaxed in her role. It's so hard to know what finally gets through to them.

But anyway, I am thrilled for you both!!! It is a great breakthrough for Annabelle!!!

KEEP IT UP ANNABELLE!!!! I AM ROOTING FOR YA OVER HERE IN MISSOURI!!!

Oh, I am glad you still have your eyes..... Those are important features!!