Long time no blog

Girl Kitty!

I just added it up, it has been about 8 months since my last post. I hope everyone is doing OK. As most of you are aware I had some difficulties and had to cut back on things, internet included. I just wanted you to know that we are doing all right now, I managed to get caught up with everything. I even got the internet back as you can see.

My favorite pic of her, the turkey pose.

I got back on line about a month ago. I wanted to get caught up with my emails, news, etc. I have tried to catch up with the blogs I am following, but it has been hit and miss. I did notice that some are not posting as often as they did, I also noticed the absence of one or two others. Makes me wonder if anything bad happened or if just due to life changes, loss of interest, and so on.

What am I suppose to do with this?

Which brings me to the subject of this post. A lot has happened while I was offline, yet not much has changed (or is that the other way around). I am not sure where I want to go with this blog, or what to do with it. I still want to brag about my kitties. My hart is not in it like it use to be. I have spent the last couple of weeks thinking I should start this up again, but could not think of much to say on a daily, or weekly basis. It does not seem like much happens each day. I go to work come home feed the cats and that is about it.

Such a sad look. Nov 2011

I don't know if maybe it is a bit of depression lingering. Seems like a lot of priorities have changed. A lot of other things just seem meaning less. It could also be that one of the main reasons I started this was to brag on one cat in particular. One who seemed that she had been through a lot, yet she still opened up and let me love her. She had changed, grown so much that I was very proud of her. I wanted to let people know that with a little time, effort and love how wonderful these magnificent creatures can be. Not to give up or pass them by because they may be old, scared, timid, or even aggressive. With a little care and love they can blossom to be a wonderful caring friend with much love to give.

Blackie

This is going to be the first, last, only time I will mention this, as I do not think about it doing my best to put it out of my mind. There is a lot of anger, hurt, frustration involved with this, the full details of which I will leave out, I just can't get into it. On Nov 14, 2011 just before midnight Girl took her trip over the bridge. I personally helped her cross over, here in her home where she felt safe and loved. God this is still hard to write. She was and will always be my baby girl, my sweetie pie being so quite and gentle. I will always miss her. She is the reason I have so many cats. She is the one that started it all. I suppose for her I will keep this blog going.

Thor (MIA)

Like I said a lot has happened, but not much has changed. About 6 or 7 weeks ago Thor disappeared. Sometimes he would not come around for a few days, but after not even seeing him in the back yard for a week I knew he was gone. I fear that the coyotes got him. I live in the middle of town, and yes I have seen them in the street out front. He was one of the five that “belong” to my neighbor. Being such I did not try very hard to make him an indoor kitty, having to let him wonder around so they can see him. They are the ones that put food out but will have little to no interaction with their cats. Three of their other cats (Pretty, Ugly, TJ) spend most of their time in my house I make no apologies. Only TJ bugs me to get out at night the other 2 are usually in bed with me.

Tom

That brings the count down to 10 my 5 and the neighbors 4 plus Tom (who is totally independent). None of my cats get to go out ever the neighbors 3 I keep in at night and usually most of the day. I have started to work on getting Blackie and Tom to want to stay around more. Tom may never become an indoor cat, unlike Thor who stayed near by, he wonders the whole neighborhood (too independent). Disappearing for a week at a time. I have seen him several blocks away, I do not know if he has a regular home or not. That leaves Blackie as my best bet to corral into being a house cat. Everyone is still on a mostly dry food diet. I give both Tom and Blackie canned food as a bribe to come around more often, the rest get left overs. At least for the time beaning.

Rare pic. Tom making himself at home. 

Well that kinda brings everyone up to date on whats happened over the past several months. Sorry it got a little depressing. I am still not sure how often I will update will have to wait and see.  

Time to Brag



Girl Kitty

 Today’s post is all about Girl and the amazing progress that she has made. Just a couple of days ago for the first time, and again last night for the second time, she played “string”. I dangled a string in front of her, she played with it, batting at the string with abandon. This lasted about 20 seconds each time. So what is so special about a cat playing with a string you might ask, don't most cats? I do not think Girl quite knew how to be a cat. Let me explain and highlight some of her steps along the way to this major milestone.


When Girl first showed up (late 2006) she was and still is a proper little lady. Even with the back door open she would not come in unless personally invited. After eating she would jump up on the couch next to me rubbing up against me to get loved and petted. At the slightest noise from out side, if I stood up, or if she saw another cat walk in (She kept a constant watch on the back door) she would run and hide for hours. She was hard to catch and put out in the mornings. Two weeks after she showed up I relented and got a litter box so she could stay in full time.


Girl didn't see Twinkie


She was a very shy and timid cat, always slinking around with her tail between her legs. She probably spent 8 months or more of her first year with me hiding under my bed. She would join me up top when I went to bed, then back under in the morning. She was always fearful of other cats. One day she came out of the bedroom looking towards the back door, keeping an eye out for other cats, she jumped on to the arm of the couch, still watching the back door. She did not see Twinkie sleeping there, about 15 minutes later when she finally noticed him she immediately ran and hid, for at least 3 hours. See how she is sitting ready and alert she used to always sleep that way, never any other position. Ready to spring away at a seconds notice.



I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with her I never heard her meow. I only knew she was purring by placing my finger on her throat. Twinkie was still around at this time, he would meow to be let in, get fed, petted, in other words a lot of the time. One day Girl started to meow to get fed and was very insistent about it. Good for her, I think she learned it from Twinkie. It was at least a year and a half before she messed up and I heard her purr, and at arms length too. Around this time also she would lay more like a cat, with her legs extended out and even started to lay on her side, she finally was starting to relax a little bit. Sometimes too much, she reminds me of a turkey spread out like that.



Turkey pose



I tried to get pictures each step along the way, but with her being so skittish it was hard. I tried playing with her but she would run from the string, at best shyly pushing it away when I put it in her face, with a half harted attempt to play. Her catnip mouse she at first ignored finally she started rubbing against it. Just a few weeks ago she started picking it up and tossing it around pouncing on it. I think she is learning how by watching the other cats play. But if she sees them watching her or hears a noise she will stop.



Girl eats in public



I used to feed her where ever I could find her, finally I got fed up with empty cans under both beds and the couch. So I made her a spot in my room and would only feed her there. One time she went to the community food bowl (where I feed the others), I have a pic of it. She does it on occasion now. I also have a pic of the first time another cat (Mittens) laid down near her and she was aware of it. The first cat she walked up to and sniffed was Lil' Bit. (Lil' Bit is smaller than Girl).



Girl with Mittens


I can only guess as to what kind of background she came from, to be so scared all the time. I have a real soft spot in my hart for her because of this. I sometimes think she might have been abused. This post shows just a little of the progress she has made, I could write so much more. Each incident is like a child taking its first step. Recently she has started to growl and swat at any cat that gets too close, will walk up to some of the others, and does not hide as much as she used to.

Progress has been slow in coming. The vet guessed her to be about 5 when he first saw her in 2007, so she is a senior cat now around 9 years old. You would think she would be set in her ways, but she is learning how to become a cat. Lil' Bit tries to play with her, by swatting Girl when she passes by. Girl just ignores her :).


Girl on piano with others :)


It has taken a lot of time and patience with Girl to get this far. She is very spoiled, and tolerances are made. Sometimes I have to pick her up and carry her into the bedroom so she will go eat. She still is afraid to use the litter box to pee in (it is not medical we checked with the vet), I place some old towels next to the boxes she uses and change them out regularly. She has some special needs and allowances need to be made for her. But she is a special little girl that I would be lost without.

So as you can see playing “string” is something amazing to brag about. This is coming from a cat that tried to crawl into a hole and pull it in after her so as not to face the world. A lost kitty that did not know how to be a cat, who was afraid of her own shadow. A senior citizen who is facing her fears and over coming them, gracefully. So yes I will brag about my special kitty because I am so proud of her and the progress she has made. Three cheers for Girl!!