This is a picture of Houdini shortly after we brought him home from the vet. You will note that he is sitting on my lap. He was crated initially (don't feel sorry for him. It was a very large dog crate, 3 feet wide, five feet long, two doors. We put his bed inside a box so he had a safe place to retreat to when life got too people-y for him.) Every night, I took him out of his cage and held him on my lap and fed him kitty treats and petted him. I figured that he would associate me with warm cuddles and tasty nibbles.
I thought wrong.
Right after this picture, he leaped up and bolted. William had left the basement door ajar and quick as a wink, Houdini was in the basement.
Initially, I thought that it was okay for him to be down there. He had to come upstairs to eat. I figured he'd make his peace with us. He didn't. After 3 weeks, the decision was made to bring him upstairs. This was very much against his wishes.
He ran up the stairs to get away from Tim and I. We followed him into the kitchen and closed the basement door. He's been living in the kitchen for over three weeks now. I no longer try to hold him. We just make a point of feeding him kitty treats every time we pass his bed. He gets a pet or a scritch under his chin. His bed is in a tight corner between the hoosier cupboard and the wall. At Christmas time, I just put a screen up between his corner and the rest of the kitchen, so that he would feel safe.
The toys seemed to be just what the doctor (vet?) ordered. He seemed very cheerful today. At one point, when I went to give him his treat, he reached out his paw and touched my hand, sniffing curiously.
I haven't taken any pictures of him recently, because his corner is dark, and I don't want the flash to scare him. I'll wait until he starts venturing out more.
It was a quiet day. I mailed Cara and Colin's Christmas out to them today. which was a spot of happy. I came home and baked a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies and fretted about things that I can't change.
In the end, turned out that what I needed an hour and a half long phone call with my sister. It helped.
You're so lucky you have your sister to talk to and laugh with (I'm guessing from the memes). Houdini is quite beautiful and I'm so glad he's making progress. I wonder what will happen when you cut his nuts off:) Sorry, couldn't resist.
ReplyDeleteOh, we laugh ourselves stupid. She has four bottles of wine she got for Christmas that she needs help with. A terrible sacrifice on my part, but she is my sister, after all.
DeleteHoudini was picked up from the vet. He is already neutered.
Poor guy, no wonder he hides:) Or maybe he's looking for his nuts.
DeleteHoudini is a nice looking cat. He will be fine
ReplyDeleteIn his own good time. He will not be rushed.
DeleteHoudini looks quite relaxed. It's nice that you can have such a good chat and laugh with your sister. You must treasure that.
ReplyDeleteI very much do treasure it.
DeleteHoudini will settle, he has got his paws under the table for a start. Which means he knows which side his bread is buttered. People talk of putting butter on a cat's paws to keep him at home, hope Jennie comes along and explains.
ReplyDeleteHe purrs a LOT!
DeleteAh, sisters. I am about to book a trip across to the UK to visit mine . We haven't seen each other in 4 years!
ReplyDeleteFOUR YEARS! You are overdue! I hope you laugh just as hard as my sister and I do.
DeleteJust as I imagined him Debby. How old is he? Perhaps he had a rough time on the streets before he came home with you, so trust is a bit fragile. It sounds like he is slowly coming round if he is making contact with you. You're doing all the right things and the toys sound like they really pleased him.
ReplyDeleteThelma - buttering their paws meant that by the time they had settled long enough to lick it all off, they knew this new place as home. Don't think it ever worked really! When we moved, we kept our cats indoors for nearly a month.
I never knew your name was Jennie! That's an interesting adage. I have never heard it before. He looks exactly like my last cat, which was a bit of a jolt. I took him sight unseen because he had been trapped by our tenant who traps ferals and pays to neuter them out of her own pocket. She was do desperate to find him a good home because he was still a kitten. The adults are returned to the life they know. They just can't add to the population. When I saw him, my heart stopped a bit because he is an image of my Paddy. But I had given my word and paid for the neuter out of my pocket, so I took a deep breath and stuck to the plan.
DeleteHe and his mother and his siblings began showing up at our tenant's house in late July. One sibling just disappeared. One was trapped and taken by another tenant. We took Houdini. The final kitten got hit by a car before he could be trapped. The mother has done a disappearing act of her own. So he was born in June probably or even late May.
DeleteI he purrs a lot he knows you cares a lot. Great photo of Houdini.
ReplyDeleteWilliam and he played before school this morning. They both enjoyed it. Houdini looked quite sad when William had to leave.
DeleteIt really helps to tell our stories. Also, to have someone to listen to them.
ReplyDeleteYou did exactly what the experts say, to limit their space until they get adjusted to noises and all. You are doing well!
I am pretty intuitive when it comes to 'reading' people. Animals are easier because they don't use words and they don't lie.
DeleteOh to be a psychiatrist and have Houdini laying on a comfortable couch spilling the beans!
ReplyDeleteHis contact with people has consisted of being fed. No touching. When he was trapped, he was handled by a vet, which was pretty unpleasant. So he is not a fan of the bipedal species.
DeleteWe are still waiting for our ginger cat to become more domesticated and she's lived here for at least seven years. Probably more. We still have hope that she will come to finally feel some peace.
ReplyDelete7 years?????!!! Eep.
DeleteI am lucky to have my sister living in the same city as I do. We have always been close and we do a great job of making each other laugh. We take long walks together and can talk, talk, talk on the phone when we need to.
ReplyDeleteIt is a gift to laugh like that.
DeleteTreasure your sister, Debby! I can't tell you how often I long for that opportunity with mine. I still miss her terribly!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to sign in, but you probably figured out it was me.
DeleteOh Kelly, it always comes as a shock at how many years it has been since you lost Pam.
DeleteOrange cats are my favorite, don't know what it is, but I like them a lot. Houdini won the cat lottery, he's a lucky boy.
ReplyDeleteAt some point, I hope HE thinks he's a lucky boy. He's pretty funny though. Now that he's been teased out into playing, it's as if his inner kitten has come out.
DeleteHopefully Houdini becomes more social after he becomes more comfortable. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year to you folks too. A whole 'nuther week off for your kids. I bet they are loving that. William went back to school on Tuesday.
DeleteHoudini is a handsome fella! Looking forward to the post when you tell us Houdini has crept upstairs and slept with William.
ReplyDeleteI told William that. The idea of it really pleased him. The last cat always slept with him.
ReplyDelete