The nomal routine around here is that I go downstairs after my upstairs chores are done, sit and pet Boots for as long as he will allow, which sometimes seems to be seconds instead of minutes. Other days, he will set with me for quite a while. I keep a knitting project and a simple cross stitch project down there, or sometimes I just work on getting the sewing room the way I want it. He always stays down there with me but yesterday he ran upstairs when I opened the door. I stayed down there for a while, thinking he’d come back but he didn’t so I went upstairs. I think it was the first time in a very long time that, when I looked at him sitting at the top of the stairs, he didn’t have huge, black pupils and his ears weren’t back. I sat in my chair and he came and sat with me and was purring, which he hasn’t done in a very long time while upstairs. He sat on my lap and let me brush him for the longest time. His tail was twitching a little bit but his pupils never got huge and his ears were never back.
Look. Sweet kitty eyes!
This was also the first time since all the biting started that he seemed comfy enough to sleep upstairs. He slept for a while and then I wanted to go downstairs and take a nap. When I got up he followed me down the stairs, went in the bedroom with me, stretched out beside me and slept for several hours with me . . NO BITING!
He may not be back to normal every day but I needed to have a good day with him and yesterday was definitely a good day. He was the old, sweet Boots I’ve been missing. That gives me so much hope that he will eventually be a trustworthy, sweet cat again.
When I got up from taking a nap, I put him back in the sewing room. Didn’t want to overdo a good thing. We’ll see what today holds. I’m wondering if I should let him come up again or stay in the sewing room with him. I don’t want to do anything to cause him to go back to the biting and it did seem that it was something upstairs causing the issue. I think I’ll spend a good chunk of the day with him in the sewing room room for three or four days, then let him upstairs again and see what happens.
Robin R Crittenden says
Just don’t force the issue. Cats are unpredictable. One minute want to be around others not. They are independent animals.
Dottie Newkirk says
Glad he was better.
Rebecca says
Ah, it’s nice to have your sweet cat back! I think you have a good plan, not pushing it. That will also add value to the good days (not being followed by too much for him to handle). Maybe all this time with the Feliway (or whatever you’re using) is having a lasting effect, so best to keep him near it!
I sure do wonder what it is about upstairs that is bothering him!
Judy Laquidara says
He didn’t seem terribly bothered this week. One thing . . I left the gate to the kitchen open and let him walk around in there for a while and then I brought him into the living room and closed the gate to the kitchen. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it so I’ll try that again next time I let him up.
It is Fellway I’m using. I changed out the “thing” yesterday.
Sheryl says
I’m so glad Boots is better. I know it’s a relief and hope it just gets better and better.
Judy Laquidara says
Yes. Tomorrow I plan to let him come upstairs again and see how he does.