Former Foster Updates

Starla writes:

I'm still scaredy of all these cats! Skylar and I are friends, of course, but it's taking a little longer with the others. Carbon still thinks I want to play, so he comes rushing at me or swipes at me as I go by. Sometimes he even comes to sit under the couch with me when I'm hiding under there! So I growl and hiss a lot at him.

Tabby wants to check on me to make sure I'm doing ok after things happen, but that's when I just want to be left alone, so I growl, hiss, and swat at her. I know she doesn't mean to scare me, but she sits there and stares, wagging her tail. Mommy and Daddy have explained to me that it means she's trying to figure me out, but it's what the other cats did before they pounced when I used to live outside. It confuses me!

Rori and I have come to an understanding. Mommy was taking me into the bedroom with her when she slept on the nights when Daddy worked, so I didn't have to fend off everyone while she wasn't there to stop them. Rori scooted in one night, a couple weeks ago, and behaved herself after the initial hissing from both of us. So, we made it a nightly ritual, and Rori and I learned to trust each other more. She still does things that put me on edge, but only every few days instead of daily.

This house doesn't have a room to reserve for just me, so that's why it's taking me longer to integrate with the rest of the household. With the kittens my family fosters occasionally, it goes faster because the older cats are more protective of the new little ones. With my being around 2, my "cat behaviors" are set and I'm on edge around the others. I know they just want to be friends, though.

Mommy and Daddy are watching my progress closely, and are encouraged by the small steps: making peace with Rori, coming out from under the couch more and more, sleeping on the couch when Daddy works on his laptop, going to the food bowl by myself, walking (instead of running) especially from the litter box to the couch, purring more, acknowledging petting and turning my ears for rubbing, and playing with the "galaxy ball" that I've adopted and that now lives under the couch.

Yes, you read that last one right! I've adopted a rubber ball! Some of the toys have gathered under the couch from various playtimes, and one day my parents heard a brrrbllllrrrrrll sound. Looking around, they couldn't see anyone playing. Again it went, and the only one not accounted for was me. Then they heard toenails on the floor and the ball sound again. Looking under the couch, they saw a white flash from one side of the area to the other! Then the ball sound again, and the flash. "Starla, are you PLAYING under there?!" In answer, the ball came shooting out into the living room, followed by a quick paw to bring it back to the safe zone. Again, the ball escaped, and Mommy kicked it back under the couch. The third time it escaped, and Mommy kicked it back. When it rolled partway, I hooked my paw around to catch it again. "You ARE playing!" They laughed for a few minutes, so hard that tears were coming to both Mommy and Daddy's eyes!

Smokey update:

Smokey is doing well in her new home. She now sleeps with her 1-year-old brother in the crib when he's sleeping, and runs around the house after him. She has a scratching post and a feather wand that she absolutely adores, but her favorite toys are still her new mom and dad. She hates when her human brother chases her with his flashing, realistic-sounding fire truck, and is scared stiff of the guinea pig! When Truffles the guinea pig is out being petted, Smokey takes one look and dashes under the bed. If it's in its cage, she'll look at it, but if it makes any sudden moves she shoots away.

She is getting a new older cat sibling. Mia is an absolutely gorgeous calico who has been coming to their porch to be fed. Mia's estimated age is somewhere between 6 and 8 years old, and she's had a hard life (teeth missing), but is sooo loving. Right now, they are getting Mia tested for felv/fiv and clearing up her eye cold, but then she will come inside if all checks out.