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...:D

[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:D .

[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!

[dandysmom]

Hi, PixieKitty, why not go to the Introductions section and tell us a bit about yourself and your two; we can give you a proper welcome there! And maybe post some pics of your two!

[smokytopaz]

Koko really does make progress every day. She is still very very nervous, But she now accepts that I am allowed to be in the room and she does not have to hide from me. This morning she decided she really need to know what was in my mug so she marched over my knee, put her feet on the coffee table just so she could sniff the tea mug.
She now feels she has to be in the same room as me when she is awake, but really is not ready to be cuddled. I expect one day she will by mistake.
Pixiekittie, we will have to keep on offering little delicious slivers of things and be rewarded by the tiny gentle touch of a nose on the end of a finger for a couple of weeks yet.
She has decided that my toes (under the cover of a quilt) are prime objects for attack and much pouncing and bottom wiggling goes on - yes she is ON my bed as well as under it.
Getting help here really made a difference, I would have been so upset if I had had to give her back!
Vet is still pretty distant tho!!

[calismum]

Koko really does make progress every day. She is still very very nervous, But she now accepts that I am allowed to be in the room and she does not have to hide from me. This morning she decided she really need to know what was in my mug so she marched over my knee, put her feet on the coffee table just so she could sniff the tea mug.
She now feels she has to be in the same room as me when she is awake, but really is not ready to be cuddled. I expect one day she will by mistake.
Pixiekittie, we will have to keep on offering little delicious slivers of things and be rewarded by the tiny gentle touch of a nose on the end of a finger for a couple of weeks yet.
She has decided that my toes (under the cover of a quilt) are prime objects for attack and much pouncing and bottom wiggling goes on - yes she is ON my bed as well as under it.Getting help here really made a difference, I would have been so upset if I had had to give her back!
Vet is still pretty distant tho!!

So pleased she is now confident enough to play - even if she does not know the thing that moves under the covers is you!

I am sure you will get there one day.

[dandysmom]

That's such good news, she's getting less and less wary every day!

[smokytopaz]

She plays very enthusiastically! For such a small delicate cat she can sure thump as she belts up and down the stairs, kills the front door mat and skids across the bathroom floor after her supersized marble!

She is a joy and will become more relaxed as she grows.

I hope!

[dandysmom]

That always amuses me: they can move as quietly as a wisp of smoke when they want to, but coming down the stairs they can sound like an invading army! I'll be so glad when Koko is relaxed enough that you can get some pics of her! Love the toe-pouncing bit!

[Leesy]

That is really great news to hear that Koko is becoming alot more confidant and happy around you;) , I am so pleased for the pair of you, and with time the bond that you have got already will just continue to deepen:D .

[dinahsmum]

Good to hear of the progress