It's been a while

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I don't have any really good excuses except I've managed to keep myself pretty busy lately.

The little tabby boy kitty took about a week to start coming around. He stayed up in the box springs of the bed only coming out at night to eat a little bit. It took him several days to pee and then about a week to poop. His first poop was in the litter box which I was very happy about. His first pee was not, but since then, he has been peeing in the litter box too. I'm not sure if he knows this is where he should go, or that it's the only suitable place for him which feels almost like going outside. Either way, I'm not complaining but I'm concerned that he would go just about anywhere if he had constant access to the entire house.

After a week of him being very shy and not coming out from under the bed, one day he started eating treats out of my hand. The next day, he started coming out and letting me pet him. Now, when I call for him, he makes it known where he is and usually comes out for some love and attention. He's still weary of Mike, but with patience, I think he will even let Mike pet him.

Right now he's downstairs in the basement somewhere. I've been letting him out of his room whenever I'm around during the day. He's starting to hate being cramped up in one room all the time. Last night after I said goodnight to him and closed the bedroom door, he started crying and reaching his foot under the door. I felt bad for him but I don't want any unnecessary cat fights during the night or unnecessary pee or poopings everywhere. So, while I'm around, I let him explore, but for now, at night, he's in his room. He's been laying on the bed a lot which is much more comfortable than the box springs and he has the extra bonus of being able to look out the window that way.

The other cats have not taken to him very well. Sabrina has been the best about it, just hissing a little but letting him sniff her. They even touched noses this morning...then she hissed. Stumpey has been growling a lot at him. I'm pretty certain she would swat him if he got close enough. Skye hasn't really been around him that much but I've heard a hiss or two out of him. And Skore. Oh, Skore. I would have expected her to be the most accepting of them all, being that all the cats in this household love her and she's a pushover for all of them. But no. She has been going crazy when she smells this new kitty. She's been growling at both him and us when he's around. She's been hissing and swatting. I've never seen her do any of these things. She's like a wild black tiger! She obviously has a little bit of her mother in her. Luckily she's not beating up the other kitty like her mother did to all of my cats!

I would have expected little tabby boy to defend himself and possibly even be aggressive to these other cats being that he's lived outside for what I would imagine has been all his life. But he's just as docile as can be. I haven't heard one peep out of him except for a cry now and then. I think he really wants to make friends with all of the cats but they are having a very tough time with this change. I don't think he made a very good outside kitty based on the fact that he hasn't tried to show dominance at all over this household. That's probably why at the young age of 1 year old that he's already been bitten by something in the outdoors. I think he'll fare much better as an inside kitty. It's too bad his ear is tipped. It makes him appear imperfect when in fact, he's a pretty perfect guy.

All in all, things are going well. I'm happy about his progress emotionally and his foot is looking much better. He's even starting to walk on it a little more. It still looks mangled, but it's not bloody anymore and it seems to not be hurting him so much anymore either. I wasn't able to get even one antibiotic pill in him, but I guess the shot they gave him did it's job because there definitely is not infection that I can see.

So, it seems my life is revolving around cats lately and that is fine. Between feeding the ferals 5 days a week, volunteering at Fancy Cats Rescue cleaning the cages at Petsmart at least 1 day a week, helping them with other duties (like last week bringing 3 cats to the vet), and trying to socialize this tabby boy, I've been pretty busy. Last week was dedicated to trying to find a free or really cheap crate to put the boy in. After I received one from a very generous lady whose dog didn't fit in it anymore, the boy started coming around and I haven't needed to use the crate. But, at least I have it for the future. And it was free. I also got a free small TV for his bedroom so he would start getting used to indoor sounds. Today was the first time I've turned it off in about a week and a half. Now all we really need in that room is a light so I can see him at night. Right now, the TV in there has been serving two purposes: keeping him entertained and lighting the room at night. But that is the poor man's way to light a room.

I think it's time to stop writing and start eating breakfast. I made some biscuits yesterday and I think my breakfast is going to consist of more biscuits this morning. I've been liking me some biscuits lately. Too bad they are filled with so much butter!