Zen's favorite toys now are toy mice. One toy mouse with colorful feathers for its tail I gave to her early on and have never seen again. It must be a prized posession under the bed. I have seen the colorful feathers that were its tail around the room since then. Now she has a fabric mouse. She plays with it because of it's small size and the tail on it. She looks very funny when she plays with it because she'll bat it around with her front paws while standing up on her hind legs, as if the mouse has a life of its own and she is just barely keeping up with the feisty little thing. :-)
Saturday November 25th, 2006
Today Zen met her first scratching post! I bought it from Tree House shelter for $50 and is covered with super tightly woven sisal rope. I wanted to make sure she really bonded with it so I fed her wet food at the base of it and rubbed dry catnip into it while she watched. That wasn't enough, as she ate the catnip at the base but didn't pay the post too much attention while she ate and then cuddled and napped on my lap. Then I moved my legs as if to leave so she got up. Then I dangled the fabric and feathers from the pole so that it was right up against the scratching post. She lunged at the fabric and feathers and discovered how cool it felt to claw the scratching post. I put a toy at the top of it so she stared at it for a while then climbed to the top to get the toy. We did this a bunch so now I think she enjoys using it. I'll keep repeating the scratching post games until I'm sure it's a big cool thing for her.
Wednesday November 22nd, 2006
My fiance Lorenzo fed Zen with me this evening for the second time ever. Zen was pretty comfortable with him, plus she was super eager for the IAMS wet turkey food he gave her. He was able to pet her on the head once, which is nice progress for just the second time. She was feeling very frisky so he used the pole with the fabric and feathers to play with her a bunch. We took turns throwing pieces of dry Science Diet food for her to chase, capture, and eat.
Tuesday November 14th, 2006
So today was a day for which I'd been preparing. I took Zen back to the clinic in a carrier to restart her shots schedule, the "PCR distemper shot." She had already gotten the first when she got spayed but if you don't follow it up with the booster shot 3-4 weeks after then she's not protected much from distemper. At the beginning I was so nervous about her socialization and I didn't think I'd get any other cats, so I figured I could put off the whole thing. It turns out that this distemper illness can be fatal and can cause a lot of suffering, plus now I am planning to trap and socialize a second cat so she really needs the protection these shots provide! Sooooo, that's why she needs the first shot again and then the second shot in three weeks. It's not so bad, because now it's like she's a whole different cat she is so much less fearful. For more details on this, Zen's second trip to the Tree House clinic, see the Trapping 101 & Vet Time page. I've added a second section on that page called "Zen's Second Trip to the Vet/Tree House Clinic."
Sunday November 12, 2006
So I think I have figured out the whole nipping thing where she would nip my hand about once a night during petting times. She hasn't nipped me for a few nights now, and I think it's because I just read her better and what she wants. I think she nipped before just to get me to stop petting her so much so she could sit in my lap and chill out and stretch out and sleep. When she angles back her ears and there are no new sounds she's hearing it's meant as a signal that I've missed other cues and she's done being pet for a bit. I actually prefer it this way because I get to pet her but then there's the chill out time where I can meditate and she sleeps and sits and purrs on my lap. It's perfect for me because there are always cool meditations I can do and it's still quality time for us.
Thursday November 9th, 2006
I gave Zen her second feeding and afterwards she was on my lap and I was petting her. At one point she nipped my hand, a bite that didn't hurt or mark me but startled me and concerns me. At the time I quickly withdrew my hands and kept them away and then she just stayed there purring and eventually got off my lap and went back to her place under the bed. She has done that a few times now so that's a problem I need to resolve.
Saturday November 4th, 2006
Tonight Zen got to get to know my fiance Lorenzo. She had seen him from her carrier on the first night and then had heard his voice many times since then. I had been advised by Joan the behaviorist at Tree House shelter that she probably wouldn't think he's safe just because I do. She would have to figure out if he's a predator or can be trusted. Well I had him sit on the floor near me but about two feet away. Sure enough Zen actually came right out from under the bed for her food and stayed out. She was so brave! I fed her where she was, then by me, then eventually Lorenzo fed her between his legs. By the end she was putting her front paws on his thigh to eat dry food, then she played with him when he used the pole with the fabric and the feathers on the end. Then she even cleaned herself specifically near him, not near me. I was very pleased.
Thursday November 2nd, 2006
Today Joan the cat behaviorist from TreeHouse shelter called me back and it has really helped me make huge steps with Zen already. It's so cool, I put today's update instead at the current bottom of the page titled Socializing My Feral Kitten Zen so check there for a very happy update. On the Socializing page, scroll down until you see a bold heading "Special Socialization Update - Thursday November 2nd, 2006."
Wednesday November 1st, 2006
So last night as I slept Zen curled up on the comforter against my lower legs. I had noticed that once or twice before but this time it seemed that she did that most of the night. Every time I moved she'd jump down but then once she thought I was asleep she'd come right back. Very cute. She continues to take small items from the bedroom into her hiding place, like stuffed animals and a hand towel I had left out. She must have quite a collection under there.
Tuesday October 31st, 2006
Today we did one big feeding, all dry food, all with the"touch my hand" game. This means when she touches my hand with a paw I drop one piece of food into her dish which I had placed on top of my thighs. We repeated this over and over. She purred the whole time, like a tiny little motor boat. This was the most purring I've heard from her so far. I even got to pet the fur on the top of her paw for a second as she touched my hand two times. It was soft. :-)
Monday October 30th, 2006
Today was warm, in the 60's, so I had the windows open to get a crossbreeze. I accidentally let the bedroom door slam three times. It turns out that scared Zen so much that she wouldn't come out from under the bed for the first feeding. She had regressed, but fortunately all I had to do was repeat all the old steps of putting pieces of food under the bed and gradually less and less under the bed and more out in the open. It took a bunch of time and was frustrating to see her so scared all over again. I guess I had taken her progress for granted. Anyway after the second feeding that day she was close to her most trusting level again.
Saturday October 28th, 2006
During the second feeding she purred. I heard her purr for the first time. I heard it very faintly on and off for one minute during the "Touch my hand" game.
Friday October 27th, 2006
10:45am
So today was the first day that Zen and I had a play and food session in the morning. She poked her head out from under the bed both times I was in my room dressing in the morning, so I knew she was ready. Two nights ago was the first time she had touched my hand with her paw, and I still have the scratch marks to show it. Now finally today we got to work on refining touch. I ended up linking her getting a piece of dry food to her touching my outstretched hand with her paw. It works. She understands that now. I put out my hand and say "Touch my hand" and most of the time she does it now and I immediately throw her a piece of dry food. When she touches me with a bunch of claw then I withdraw my hand and act sad. I also say "Ow." She gets no food then. I think she's learning because her paw touches are gentle more often. She's adorable.
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Three Minute Updates - December 2006
Three Minute Updates - MOST CURRENT
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