So excited! Going to the shelter tonight, adoptiong a nephew!

[lmunsie]

So Ebony is shy and skittish, but has been out from under the bed in little boughts, is eating, drinking and using the box. She obviously isn't afraid of Tim, since she'll sit under the bed, but right at the end and let him pet her and scratch her face, but I think she is afraid of the space. She'll come out for short periods but get startled and run back under the bed, but she waits at the edge of under the bed so she can be pet, and last time she came out she jumped onto the bed and let him sit beside her and pet her until she got startled back under. It's just going to be patience I think, but a good start for a cat who has never had a home before!

He has to go away for the weekend so I'm going to go over and spend some time with her on Saturday and Sunday. The quiet will be good for her I think, so she can have sometime to explore and not get starttled.

 

[stephanietx]

So glad your brother is open to being patient with her. She's going to flourish with his love, I just know it!! So glad she'll have some "alone time" to get to know the house and everything. It'll be interesting to see how she responds to his return. I hope he thinks to leave some shirts he's worn for her to keep near so she doesn't think she's been abandoned by him.

 

[valanhb]

Originally Posted by stephanietx

I hope he thinks to leave some shirts he's worn for her to keep near so she doesn't think she's been abandoned by him.

Good thought!

If he hasn't done laundry yet, you may want to dig to the middle/bottom and pull out a new smelly something for her (gross, I know...but it's for a good cause). Shirts and socks seems to be the best articles of clothing for cats. Like Stephanie said, that way she'll still be reminded of his reassuring presence and won't feel abandoned.

Ebony sounds like such a sweet girl! I think they will both end up being the lucky ones for having found each other.

 

[sakura]

Ebony is beautiful

That's a really long time to be waiting in a shelter. It sounds like she picked the perfect person to take her home.

Can she be isolated in a smaller space, like a bathroom? It could make her new home feel less overwhelming. He might also try cat pheromone sprays or plug-ins (like Feliway). Time is probably the only thing that will truly help, but I'm glad that she is in a home that understands that.

Yay for new adoptions!

 

[jkr2116]

That's so exciting!! We would love to see pictures!

 

[mystik spiral]

Awww, I love this story because it's similar to mine!

I adopted a little black kitten a week before Halloween last year. Then my sister-in-law told me she had read that many shelters halt adoption of black cats around Halloween because sickos like to sacrifice them. My mom said that's it's a good thing I got Holland first.

She was very skittish too, she was 5 months old when I adopted her and had been at the shelter for 2 months. Nobody wanted her because she was such a "scaredy cat" and most people looking to adopt kittens want the playful sort.

She's still afraid of everyone except for me, but she is my little love. She curls up on my lap every night when I read or watch TV. The only downside is that none of my friends or family believe me that she is a sweetheart...

Congrats to your brother, Ebony and you auntie! Sounds like they will have a long happy life together.

 

[hosman]

WOOHOO! You are doing a great thing! I cast my vote for Sammy.She`s too pretty.

Older cats are great.They know the system already.

 

[lmunsie]

Things have been going famously! The first day Tim was away I went over and dug out one of his shirts, found an ebony imprint on the couch and left it there for her, she wouldn't come out from under the bed while I was there, but she let me pet her under the bed, and she had used the bathroom and eaten so I was pleased. Next day I came, she ran into the bedroom but not under the bed, so I sat on the floor where she could see me and talked to her. After about 10 minutes she came over and let me pet her, and then it was game over, she became lapcat of the century! wouldn't leave me alone

Tim's been home for 2 days now and he said she hasn't gone back to hiding yet! AND get this, I didn't notice at the shelter, but she has a completely curly tail! I've heard of this in some cats, but never met one with a tail that could do full spirals and circles! It's toooo cute. I'm going to go by tonight or tomorrow to get some pictures!

 

[lmunsie]

Pictures here!

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...23#post2717623

 

[stephanietx]

Woohoo!! Sounds like she's come around and is flourishing already!