Koko makes progress

[smokytopaz]

She is still very nervous but we have had no smelly errors this week.

She plays noisily and thumps about like a little elephant early in the morning chasing her little catty nipped toys, the front door mat and any threatening pen that might be lying on the desk. I yell KOKO!! and a small delicate and elegant cat puts her head round the bedroom door with an enquiring glance and gently and silently walks into the room and sits and looks at me.

She follows me when she is awake, into the loo back to bed. She has even come onto the bed, sprayed with feliway where she rolls and rubs happily for a few minutes then remembers that she is scared and flies off. If I try to stroke her she is gone gone gone.

She likes to play with her feather on a stick, and uses it as an excuse to get near. And she will sit very close now and has sniffed with trepidation my finger (she thinks my toes are pretty rank, but interesting. Even after a shower.)

She sleeps nearly all day, under my bed. Not in her little carefully prepared bed, but next to it.

So all in all I think we are getting there. I need her to let me pick her up, which she panics at the moment, but there is the awful 'trip to the vet' to consider.

Is this progress or an illusion?

[dandysmom]

Definitely progress! She's coming along at her own pace and getting a little bolder each and every day! I'm soooo pleased to hear this, ST! Hang in there, as the song says, "better days a'coming"!

[calismum]

That is wonderful progress. Not an illusion, go back and read your first posts to remember how down you were.

I'm sure you'll get there - she is coming to you voluntarily so you are more than halfway there.

[Mags]

Good progress, continue to let her come to you at her pace...

[cats' staff]

Great stuff, sounds like really good progress.

[dinahsmum]

I'm pleased to hear this. Hopefully, having started with small steps, the progress might speed up.
Vet visit? Can it be postponed till she has much more confidence? I wouldn't want her to miss out on anything essential, but if she's fit and well now, stays indoors so hopefully won't meet infections or boy cats, could her visit be delayed?
Have you found a food bribe? Ham is often a good one

[smokytopaz]

I have really decided she and the vet may have to postpone their date until Koko is more trusting. She doesn't go out and she isn't ready to meet boys yet!

As with every cat I have ever had, freshly cooked chicken, still warm and they will do anything. Or in Koko's case, nearly anything, no touching! But she will come to me to get it.

Every day she gets a little bolder! She gave herself a fright this morning by leaping onto the dresser, landing on a mat and sliding through all the ornaments pictures etc, nothing broken and the only dent was her pride, she flew up the stairs and under my bed!

[dandysmom]

Sorry it scared her, but that is actually funny ... can just picture how embarrassed she was! Cats do hate being caught doing something ungraceful like that, bless her!

[Leesy]

Soooooooooo glad to hear that there is big progress with Koko, and yes it is big compared to were you started off with her, you should be really proud of yourself with how things are coming along , you are doing great and keep up the good work.
I would definatley postpone the vet visit until a later date .

[pixiekittie]

Hi smokytopaz,
Just had to respond to this post, as I'm going through exactly the same thing with my two little girls, whom I adopted about a month ago!

They have reached about the same point as your Koko and I'm hoping that all kitties concerned will become a little bit braver... Would love some kitty cuddles when mine are a bit more confident.

Have had a bit of success with pointing one finger towards their noses when they approach (will bump their nose against my finger)... rewarded with a treat, of course!

Glad that I'm not the only one in this situation and good luck with little Koko!