r/Feral_Cats • u/ArsonFrog143 • 4h ago
Update 😊 Rufs update pt. 2 (day 21-40)
Continuing my mega-update on the progress Rufs has made since he got here. I left off at day 20 in the previous post, so let’s continue. TLDR at the bottom.
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Context for the new peeps: I rehabilitate the “difficult” (often feral) cats for a local rescue and get them adoptable.
Rufs is a 8-12 yo stray who’s newly tripod and arthritic, misses 8 teeth + hard of hearing and vision impaired. Poor guy hasn’t had it easy but is making lots of progress.
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Day 21:
He’s getting a little bitey when I push his boundaries during hand training, but so far he does it sooo carefully that he barely even breaks the skin. Definitely communicating rather than trying to hurt me.
On this day he “holds” my hand 🥹🩷 See my recent video post.
Day 22:
I get to pet him without a bribe!! 🎉 Despite being nervous, it’s obvious that he really enjoys the sensation and prefers my fingers over the toothbrush.
Day 23-27
He starts washing himself as I’m petting him.
I watch a recent video of him and realise that the hopelessness in his eyes is gone 🥹
He’s starting to let me pet his neck and upper back with my fingers now. He continues to accept head pets in more and more vulnerable positions (turned away from me etc).
I realise he has a fear of men bc he reacts very intensely all 3 times I have a male delivery person 😞
Day 28
He completely deflates and lays down flat when I pet his head 🥹
He plays with a mouse toy on a string for the first time and loves it, shaking the “prey” from side to side and growling, clearly displaying those hunting instincts.
Day 29-32 no major developments
Day 33
What a day!! I was making myself a snack in the kitchen (aka cat room) when I heard a sound I couldn’t immediately identify. It eventually hit me that Rufs was drinking 😦 During daylight hours!! Knowing I was in the room!! I’ve literally heard that lapping sound thousands of times but the situation was so unexpected that my brain genuinely could not decipher it.
Why this was a monumental deal:
• First time he ever left his hideout with me there (though I was standing basically behind a half-wall of blankets, so there was a barrier between us).
• When J first dropped him off she told me she hadn’t seen him drink ONCE during his 3 month stay (but that he must be bc he was peeing)
• Ferals tend to only drink at night initially since they feel less vunerable in the dark. I’d seen him drink on the night cam (elated!) but never during the day.
Day 34
I get to lie really close and pet him while he’s turned away from me. Hard to explain in text but this was more intimate than previous times.
Food changes are happening since there’s something abnormal about of his poop; the odour is really strong and kind of… sour? 💩 We switch both wet and dry food for Royal Canin’s “Sensitive” (dry food mixed with “Light Weight” for the sake of his back leg). His tummy does seem better!
Day 35
I remove one of the towels that cover the front/side of his hideout 💕 he handles it well.
I get to touch his body with the feather wand; he’s a little annoyed but not scared. He still fights the toothbrush stick a lot of the time even though it’s about the same size 🤨
I decide it’s time to start actively brush training on his body (the bigger brush on a stick) and although hes growling he does sometimes allow it as long as he’s distracted by food or treats.
I notice that he’s started to visibly relax when he hears me talking, like if I’m on the phone or making a video he will stretch out or get flatter like it’s a comfort to him.
Day 36
Baby’s first time putting mommy on antibiotics! 🥰 He’s nibbled me a few times during hand training but on this day he actually bites down. I’m kind of proud lol. “That’s Mr ALMOST toothless to you!” Wound isn’t that bad (and is fully healed by now) but any deeper cat bite has a high risk of infection.
Day 38-39
I have a nighttime kitty cam again (after the old one fell into the water bowl 😬) and am struck by how much more active he is now compared to a few weeks ago. I get to see him sitting in the open doing a nice thorough wash.
Sadly he no longer visits the big room, which is a bummer. Makes sense though, in a way: he needed to be aware of all his surroundings and now that he feels safer he doesn’t feel the need to go there. It’ll happen again some day.
He plays with his mouse toy again 🩷
Kitty cam shows that he’s walking a wee bit better 🤏 than he used to. (I scatter feed his kibble to encourage more movement).
Day 40
I get to see him walking around with my own eyes for the first time but as soon as he realises I’m still there he yeets himself into the nearest hideout 😅
We continuously practice with the big brush on his body and he’s biting it less and less. I have started using his first verbal cue (“klappa” = to pet) which I say every time I go to touch him with it and it’s actually helping. Thankfully his hearing seems to be good enough to hear the distinct word.
He has a new move I call The Rattlesnake 🐍 The end of his tale vibrates really fast back and forth when he’s getting pets on his body with the soft brush. It’s like he enjoys it but is also thinking “oh dear, oh dear” (I’m imagining C3PO).
TLDR:
Rufs continues to get braver regarding pets, both with my hand and the big soft brush. He does a cute little rattlesnake move with his tail when I pet his body. Have started using his first verbal cue for pets and it’s going well. He nibbles me sometimes to set boundaries which is mostly cute but one time he bit down and I was put on antibiotics just to be safe. I’m kinda proud of him ngl 😆 He’s stopped exploring the rest of the apartment which is a pity but I think it means he feels safe enough to not need to check his environment that much.
One day he went to drink when I was in the room, in broad daylight, which was a huge deal for several reasons (see day 33).
(There’s gonna need to be a pt 3, I’m sorry 😂)
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u/F4BDRIVER 4h ago
I love grey tabbys
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u/ArsonFrog143 3h ago
Is that what his colouring is called? Bc if looks brown-ish / like a normal tabby imo but all the hair I brush off him is grey!! Haha
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