Rescue kitties still hiding from us - 2 weeks later.

[sarah430]

 
So wonderful to hear!! Well done!!

Just take it slow, go at their pace (never force affection on them), keep using food, and be calm and confident around them.

Some cats are more affectionate then others. Just like humans. Just feel out their personalities and give them your love. Cats respond to love and learn to trust.

I am very confident all will be well.

I am really proud of you and your son. You are doing an awesome job!!

We are always here for you anytime. Keep up the great work.

Thank you!

 

[calicosrspecial]

Thank you for saving lives and making their lives great!! You deserve the thanks!!!

 

[catladycheri]

Update: 6 weeks later and Crimson and Clover are now emerging from their "safe" place (bedroom) to wander around the house,. I've been slowly moving their food out into the hallway and hopefully will have it in the kitchen soon. Taking it very very slow. These kitties are teaching us so much about trust and patience. We still aren't able to approach or touch them but I have faith in time we will. If I lay on the floor neither one is running and hiding anyway. One will play with a wand toy with me - late night - but it's always on her terms. I am just so happy they have room to run and jump now. Thanks for all your encouraging words.

 

[sarah430]

 
Update: 6 weeks later and Crimson and Clover are now emerging from their "safe" place (bedroom) to wander around the house,. I've been slowly moving their food out into the hallway and hopefully will have it in the kitchen soon. Taking it very very slow. These kitties are teaching us so much about trust and patience. We still aren't able to approach or touch them but I have faith in time we will. If I lay on the floor neither one is running and hiding anyway. One will play with a wand toy with me - late night - but it's always on her terms. I am just so happy they have room to run and jump now. Thanks for all your encouraging words.

We are in the same boat (sorry I sort of hijacked your thread!) and my kitties have made progress much quicker than I imagined.  Keep being patient and I'm confident they will come around.  We can now pet our kitties in certain situations on their terms, but they still often run when we approach.  Every day is better.  If you haven't already I suggest giving them some really tasty treats.  After I gave them sardines (no salt and in water) and chicken they made a lot of progress.

 

[calicosrspecial]

CatLadyCheri,

That is great that they are expanding their territory.

I am so glad that one is playing with the wand toy. Play builds confidence and confidence is very important. Helps own territory and allows a cat to build trust.

Cats like to do things on their terms and it is best to follow their lead. Let them initiate contact, never force contact on them. Please keep using food, play, eye kisses, scratching posts and cat trees to help them expand their territory (they will scratch them and get their scent on it which helps them feel secure and own the territory).

Please keep up the great work and feel free to contact us anytime. I am very confident that they will respond to your love.

As always we are here for you anytime.

 

[catladycheri]

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• catladycheri
• Apr 9, 2017

Meet Crimson! Clover is identical yet a bit smaller and still very skeptical of us. She does come out to romp and play with her sister as long as I don't make any sudden moves. They both love tuna as a treat and will eat off my hand. . It's been a long 2 months but oh so worth it. Thanks again for the encouragement.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Crimson is ADORABLE!!! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful picture.

It is great that Clover comes out to play with her sister. It is normal to be a little skittish still BUT it is GREAT that they both eat out of your hand!!

Please be careful feeding tuna to your cats. As a treat once in a while it is ok but we don't want to get them too much of it. You may want to check the nutrition part of the website for more information.

You are doing a great job with them. Your dedication and love for them has given them an opportunity for a great life. Thank you so much for all you are doing!! 

By the way, I love the names. A beautiful song for 2 beautiful cats!!!

 

[oh-cats]

We had a similar issue with a female rescue we took in - she had been through some awful things and it took weeks for her to even look at us without retreating.  What finally helped was sitting on the floor (making ourselves smaller) and playing with a laser light.  She would dart out to "attack" the light and temporarily forget her fear.  It took six months, but she now jumps on my bed at night.  

  Treats and toys make great bonding tools!

 

[calicosrspecial]

Well Done Oh-Cats!!

Great advice as well!!

 

[duncanmac]

Update: 6 weeks later and Crimson and Clover are now emerging from their "safe" place (bedroom) to wander around the house,. I've been slowly moving their food out into the hallway and hopefully will have it in the kitchen soon. Taking it very very slow.

You can just move their food - they will find it. They might not eat until you go to bed, but they will sniff it out.

I also placed treats throughout the basement to encourage my shy newcomer to explore.

 

[catladycheri]

Update: 3 Months and 10 days later... I found myself tearing up tonight as I was able to pet Crimson for what seemed like forever, my husband said it was a scant 5 minutes. lol She has been making herself comfortable after some nightly laser light chasing, under the coffee table - so tonight I joined her... yes under the table. Brought a couple cat treats with me and after she ate one out of my hand I gingerly reached up and she let me pet her head. From then on it was a case of her rubbing her head against my hand and stretching out when I pet her whole body. It was awesome! Clover sat about 2 feet away just watching us - I gave her a treat but she retreated behind the couch with it. She is still the scaredy-cat. It's been a long 3 months but these girls have come a long way. I can't stop saying this... I didn't know we would learn so much about trust and patience from these two kitties, but we have

 

[calicosrspecial]

Thank you for the wonderful update. AWESOME!! This is great!! YOU are doing a GREAT job!!

Keep using food to build trust. Try to let her initiate contact. I LOVE that Crimson was rubbing on you!! Please remember always approach with your hand from below, not from above her head.

Hopefully Clover will see Crimson and want that love as well.

REALLY GREAT job. They are responding to your love. Keep up the great work!!

We are always here if you need us. You really are doing a GREAT job!!

 

[catladycheri]

7 month Crimson and Clover update!! I can't thank you enough for all the encouragement and tips you've all shared with me. Crimson has discovered that all she has to do is approach us and we have lots of loving for her. Sometimes it's a pain if I'm trying to do something - like knit a baby blanket for a new grandchild that is on the way - but after all we went through to build her trust I just can't ignore her. Tonight we finally had a breakthrough with the shy one, Clover. Every couple weeks I've been pulling out some stinky tuna and sitting on the floor with it in a dish. Crimson as usual comes right for it but Clover just eyes us from across the room. Well, tonight I had two dishes with a little tuna in each one. I made sure Crimson was busy with hers and approached Clover (under the table). I just sat it down a few inches away from me, at this point I myself am sitting under the dining room table, she ate some from the dish and then from my hand so I got a little more and put it in the dish. I waited until she was busy eating it and I slowly and gently started petting her. At first she backed away but couldn't give up the tuna and I thought at first she was just tolerating my touch for the sake of the tuna but when it was gone from the dish she didn't scamper away like she usually does from me but spun around and head butted my hand. I began petting her and much to my surprise I heard and felt a purr. We sat under the table for what seemed like forever. She was exploring me and I her. My eyes were welling up with tears as she and I got used to the touch. It was amazing. I let her walk away when she had her fill and tomorrow will try again.

Thank you all again for your cat whispering support!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Awww! That's is awesome! I LOVE getting updates like this!

 

[calicosrspecial]

AWESOME!! Congratulations!!!

You got the head butt. SO wonderful.

Just keep building on the trust, move at her pace and be as calm and confident as possible. You are on a great path. WELL DONE!!

Always here for you if you need us. CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

[ailish]

Cats can be so different. Ailish was on the same time frame as your Crimson. I've had her a little over a year now and she still isn't the world's boldest cat, but she's out and about and totally in the way when I'm on the computer. My sister had a rescue that she could take anywhere, would leave her carrier and parade around the place she was visiting like she lived there. Congratulations on your progress! When I think that people bring cats back to the rescue because they hide for a week...