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We appreciate toothbrushes for helping socialize feral kittens!
A week has passed. Little Candy is doing very well. I must say the big key was using the toothbrush on her, instead of that giant hairbrush. I notice that kittens are easily frightened by large objects and pretty much everything is bigger than they are, so keeping that in mind is important.
When I sacrificed my only good wooden spoon and taped the toothbrush to it, that was the breakthrough. Candy reacted VERY well to being brushed, even though she hissed as I did it. She'd quickly forget to hiss a few moments later because she felt so good being touched. I also used the toothbrush as a toy and I rubbed the bristles against the newspaper or paper plates so she'd come up to me when she heard the sound.
Well, hello Candy. I see you're SITTING ON MY LAP NOW!
I'm not sure how wise this is, but I just started petting Candy even though she was still hissing. She showed me no aggression and has not bitten or scratched me once (knock wood). I believe her instinctual fear reaction is hissing, but I'm not taking it personally. I just pick her up, pet her, rub her belly. She purrs very quickly and seems relaxed and excited to be out of the crate during our training time. I can even pick her up and she doesn't fuss much.
Candy explores her cat carrier.
Last night I let Candy roam around half of the foster room. She ran, hopped like a bunny, chased toys, sniffed and sniffed everything she could. She also hissed at me, which gave me pause, but moments later, instead of hiding, which is what I feared, she came over and I was able to put her back into her crate-for which she hissed and walked off calmly, then began to cry because she was bored or lonely or both.
I don't know why the obvious is so foreign to me, but I just realized that fostering is full of feeling bad. Not just saying good bye to your ward or worrying about their health, but geez, I feel bad locking Candy up in the cage now. She's had a tough week. Her confidence is growing and she's becoming friendlier every day. I know she's not very stimulated where she is right now, but I have to do what's best for her and gives her the most chance at success. She still needs to see me as her friend and letting her run loose right now is not going to help that.
It IS wonderful, though, to see her running around the room. A little free spirit, with no fear and just simple joy in her heart. I know she will be a good companion now. Just another week or so and she should be in great shape.
All hail the mighty toothbrush!
Comments
live in the moment
I am a big fan of Caesar the Dog Whisperer and he says 'live in the moment' - humans are the only ones who live in the past. Today's hissing and locking back up in the crate will be totally forgotten by Candy by tomorrow, as will her tough start at life. I can't help but think Caesar would be totally fascinated by your training methods. Maybe we should start calling you the Cat Whisperer.
I'm not worthy!
I'm just getting lucky! Let's see how I do over the next few YEARS and maybe then I will have earned that cred!
See you tomorrow!
So much progress! Her
So much progress! Her hissing: it reminds me a little bit of my cat before Sparkle, a gorgeous longhaired calico named Harlot. I literally picked her up off the streets as a kitten and she was semi-feral. For her, hissing was just part of her vocabulary, and she used it when anything displeased her. That happened to be a lot of things, most of which involved her not getting her way. One time it was raining and she wanted to go out (she refused to be indoors-only), and I told her, "No." Her reaction? To look up at me and hiss. Her hiss really meant nothing more than does cursing coming out of someone with a perpetually dirty mouth. So it would not surprise me if, once she calms down, she is still prone to hiss, but the meaning becomes increasingly more benign.
That makes complete sense!
I was wondering if that would happen with Candy. I still need to see her calm down more and come to me, but yes, I agree. She might end up being like Harlot! Thank you for sharing that, Janiss!
Give Sparkle our best regards!
Amazing, just amazing
I am in total awe, following this journal. I hope you'll consider making this experience into an article for cat-related publications.
The fact that Candy sat on your lap, after only a week! Wow. You ARE beyond Cat Whisperer!
Thank you!
Oh Ingrid, I am still "unpublished" as a Cat Writer and so very sad about that! I've been a graphic designer most of my career and have no idea how to pitch ideas to publishers. I think I need an Agent! Maybe they'll have a class at the next CWA where I can get this stuff figured out.
I have SO MUCH written about my other fosters, my own cats, yikes. I would love a "home" for these stories, more than you know.
Anyway, thank you for believing in me. It means a lot coming from you!
I hope you're doing better after your very sad loss.
:-)
robin
You are a Cat Writer!
What is this blog, if it isn't Cat Writing? You Are a Cat Writer! A really good one too. Maybe it's just a case of collecting stuff together from your blog, then putting it into categories and organising it into a logical book layout...
How about one of the publishers who already have published Cat and other animal stuff? I have "Dewey"by Vicki Myron, about the library cat - that was published by Hodder and Stoughton in UK - not sure who in USA, but you could see... "Under the Paw" by Tom Cox was published by Simon & Shuster UK Limited, in their "Pocket Books" series - which also sells in USA (based in New York). ... another called "Paw Tracks in the Moonlight" by Denis O'Connor is published by Constable & Robinson Ltd (www.constablerobinson.com). They have "Constable. Independant thinking since 1795" on the back cover - makes me think they may consider speculative offers, if well edited and presented?
It is hard to break into publishing - there's loads of stuff out there. But there are also books to help you and loads of stuff on the web about where to look for an agent/publisher etc. An agent would be a good help, if your book was in good shape, as they know who to approach and how to push your work, to get it the best chance.
Have a go! Make a book and look for an agent... I'll buy it!
i love the toothbrush! all
i love the toothbrush! all the pics with it are too darn cute!
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