Breakthrough here, too! Ninja's becoming a tart ;)

[Snoof]

I got downstairs this morning, and Ninja heard me and wandered into the kitchen. So I (working hard on becoming a crazy catlady ) said "Are you hungry, baby?" and he said "Mow"

I walked towards him, and he walked towards me (this is something he has never done before - always either run away or sat still). I stopped pressing my luck when we were about 2 feet apart and knelt on the floor (with difficulty - he would of course do this when my left leg's been out of commission since yesterday ) and tried to lure him. He came my way through the stool we have in the kitchen (which is clever, cause even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to kick him without breaking my foot on the legs of the bloody thing!) but then my son came running down the hall behind me and Ninja made his way to the conservatory instead (not running, though).

So I went into the conservatory and he loved me up like he's never loved me up before - you know how some cats are just (for want of a better word) tarts and just love you up until it's almost obscene? That was Ninja this morning, in the conservatory. I'm about 80% sure I could've picked him up and he'd've continued loving on me (although he would've needed a break to figure out what the purpose of the picking-up was) but I didn't try it.

So I fed him his breakfast (and told him what was in it, I am a bit daft ) and then realised I'd have to go back into the conservatory to get milk for my son's cereal, which would take me quite close to Ninja (with my feet nearer him than he's ever allowed). So I took a small detour and kept my feet about a foot and a half away from him at all times, and he looked up once on my way in and once on my way out and then kept eating!
When I went back to put the milk back (keeping our fridge in the conservatory's a bit weird, I know, but while we have a huge kitchen the fridge won't fit in it) he was less hungry so he moved a little further away, but he didn't run and he sat still in front of the fridge until I was gone.

So... That's my excited story. I feel really daft but I nearly cried over it... I'm so glad he's coming round again. I was worried when his pillow got thrown away that he'd take months and months to come round to where he was before then, but he's surpassed it by miles, and he's being so brave and doing things even when they scare him a bit.

I'm just really proud of him right now. I think my housemate did a lot of damage to the socialisation (he always forced himself on Ninja back when Ninja was still being kept inside - and Ninja would accept it if he'd been cornered but never actually got any better during it) but I think now he's truly beginning to understand that I want nothing but the best for him.

I'm sort of dreading what he'll do when he's been taken to the vet's, but now that he's sorted himself out and built on what we'd done previously I'm not so worried that he might run away or sulk for months.

Phew. That was a long story. Done now!

[CJK]

sl glad to ehar he is coming around though. Bless him, he going to want non stop fussing and petting soon, jsut youw ait and see

[Snoof]

I'm looking forward to it He's been through so much, bless him. I'm hoping one day he'll stop being afraid of the people he knows... Although for his sake, I hope he doesn't stop being afraid of my son for a while!

When I had my son I also had a big black cat (Dishrag) who adopted my son and allowed him to do crazy things to him, up to and including lying draped over him and cuddling like that for ages on end!

[dinahsmum]

Hey - good news!
Feline tarts are great
Keep up the good work - he's obviously enjoying your voice.

[yola]

Snoof - that's amazing, you're making such progress with Ninja. If it were me, I'd just wait a bit prior to picking him up even though the temptation must be great. Just let him settle into the loving pattern for a little longer before taking the next step. One other word (from personal experience here), when you go to pick him up make sure your sons not around . . . suddent noises and movement may set Ninja back so get him used to cuddling you in peace and quiet before a small hurricane-shaped boy appears (my cats run for cover when my boy comes into a room ).

[Snoof]

Random's not allowed in the conservatory. So there's no worry about that I would in fact not even consider picking Ninja up if Random were home, just to make sure it can be a pleasurable experience all around.

I'm waiting for him to become more "volunteering" about cuddles. Right now, he'll rub my hands and sometimes stand up or stretch out to allow me better access, but he doesn't, say, rub against my shoulder, only my hands. He's also yet to give me belly access for rubbing, so there's still a trust issue.

I want to be 99% certain he'll be ok with it before I'll try it. And I definitely want him to be accustomed to being loved-on before I do

[Mags]

Great news!!

[Sweet]

Great News

[Snoof]

I got Ninja a collar with a spare magnet for the catflap we're going to get, and had one of those silver cat-face medallions inscribed with his name (the lady first got it wrong and spelled it NINGA ) and our phone number. I hooked everything up and then went to let him smell it as he's sometimes scared of things.

He didn't mind it, just sniffed it and then gave me his best "What're you up to now, daft cow?" look which then softened a bit as I was also scritching his right cheek

So I decided I'd try to put it on him. Originally I was going to put it on him while he was at the vet's, so all of that would be one trauma rather than two separate ones, but then thought about it and since he didn't mind it being near him I'd try to put it on him (and stop if he gave any indication of not liking it), because the vet visit will be a pretty big shock to the system and if I could do it separately I wouldn't compound that shock.

He didn't mind at all! He's wearing it now and looking dashing and handsome as ever!

It's just an ordinary Staywell collar that came with the magnet key - black with red lettering. I couldn't find a posh one I liked (they were all too posh I'm difficult) so I just got the simple one. The medallion keeps sticking to the magnet, but now when he shakes himself, he jingles a little (no bell, just metal bits clanging a little).

I heard him shaking himself in the hall earlier, and he's happily accepting cuddles, so I'm not worried I'm so proud of him, he's being so brave, bless him

Edit: I feel a lot better knowing that if there's a problem, people can get a hold of us without having to find someone to read his microchip!

[dinahsmum]

Hey!