ShadowCat -Update 3
Dec 12 to Dec 27
The ongoing progress or lack of with Shadow has been interesting. She makes small moves in improvement. We have begun to allow her to roam around the house more if she wishes. Mostly she does not wish!
However, she has become less paranoid about us being in view when she is eating, as seen in the photo below.
Has shown a lot of interest in certain toys. Specifically a simple, dollar store ball-on-a-string toy!
She had a wonderful time chasing this toy, laying in wait for it, jumping for it.
Just as quickly as she was happily playing, Shadow suddenly decided that we were a threat and rushed off, as seen below.
She began hanging out near the entrance to the room and view us and Taffy. She even got bold and toured the bedroom while we were stretching before breakfast. Taffy has not been friendly — hissing from time to time, but has also not been aggressive, more defensive. Shadow has hissed back.
Taffy and Shadow have glared at each other through the baby gate, but have not gotten really close.
I was not able to get any photos of Shadow between Dec 15 and Dec 22.
December 19 we had to take her to the vet for the infamous Rabies shot. First we had to get her into the cat carrier. Anticipating a struggle, we gave her some Gabapentin three hours prior to the appointment, hoping that it might slow her down. It did not seem to have a huge effect — I used Kevlar arm protectors and thick gloves to get her into the carrier. she was pretty upset and scrabbled a lot once in the carrier. She settled down after we talked to her a bit.
They told us to keep an eye on her for possible side effects.
By the time we returned home from the vet, the drug seemed to have taken effect in that her limbs were like rubber, however, her activity went up to total manic. She lumbered about the house, checking everything out and meowing loudly. After about an hour of manic activity she went into her cube and crashed.
She stayed crashed for the next 8 hours, and lost interest in eating completely. She would not budge. She didn’t eat or drink or use her litter box for a day. Finally she emerged and picked at some food, but went back into the cube and just slept.
The vet figured that all her manic rushing about after the shot caused the medication to get into her system faster and that she took a bit of a reaction.
It took a few days for her to get back to eating normally and using her litter box, but she was definitely angry with us and showing back to previous fear of us.
I couldn’t get any shots because she was just hiding out in the cube.
The one I got on December 22 she was still cowering in her cube. but enough to the front that I could just see her.
At this point we decided to remove the gate and let the cats interface if they wished. They did not wish.
Shadow has shown me a desire to be petted and brushed — from time to time. She will approach and push her face into my hand, then do a play bow, stretch and arch her back up for a rub. If I cautiously apply the brush, she then up-ends, roils about on the carpet and shows her belly. I have not taken her up on that invite as yet!
As quickly as she has been a bit bold, she shoots back into her cube and gives the look you see in the photo below.
And so it has gone. She makes a few bold steps, then quickly reverses. We are not pushing her. Sometimes she responds to a toy, sometimes not. She has shown food responsiveness and when Taffy tells us it’s meal time, Shadow now joins in with her tiny little voice.
On Christmas eve, Taffy was telling us rather loudly that it was food time, and suddenly, very briefly, Shadow ventured out to the top of the stairs. She peered down for a moment, locked eyes with Taffy, hissed, then returned to her room to wait for the food.
On Dec 27, Shadow came right out and sat at the top of the stairs while she waited for food. See lead photo.
Another first. We are continuing to proceed cautiously.
