Ex-Feral update - more "ex" than feral...

[Allergictoironing]

For those of you kind enough to show an interest in my lovely ex-ferals, time for an update.

Girlcat now seems to expect not just scritchings but full body stroking too on occasion, and lets me play with her feet & tail as well if she's in the mood. If she isn't, she just stands up & walks away - never had a hint of a harsh word from her or even an ear flattening. And Boycat has let me do scratching for a few minutes a couple of times now, which is a major breakthrough.

They often lie on the back of the sofa during the evenings watching TV with me, and boycat sleeps in the most ridiculous positions with head & legs dangling everywhere over the edge; girlcat however always looks elegant & composed. He still occasionally bolts his food then throws it all up within moments, but only once behind the sofa involving furniture moving and only on the laminate floor never the carpet or rugs. He still has a passion for the wallpaper, and has 4 sections he is slowly removing shred by shred.

They both follow me into the kitchen now at feeding times & make their cute little whirring noises with excitement, then almost trip me up on the way back to the living room. They adore Da Bird toy, and I'm expected to do at least 2 or 3 long sessions every evening or they give me The Stare until I give in and play. Boycat is particularly hard on it, and in under 2 weeks has almost completely killed the feathers on it - he lies on the floor crunching away at it once he's caught it properly and has removed the ends of both the long hard feathers.

Their mad half hours morning & evening have got ever more abandoned, with girlcat in particular doing amazing flying leaps from sofa to cat tree & back again.

So in summary they are getting happier, friendlier & more sociable day by day, and I reckon well ahead of schedule. They are beautiful, adorable, increasingly destructive & I couldn't imagine life without them now .

[thecatneuterer]

That's lovely. Well done. I wish more people were prepared to take on cats that need a bit of work.

[Fluffycloudland77]

They sound much happier with you.

[Allergictoironing]

From you TCN that means an awful lot!

I'd originally planned to get a pair of elderly cats as I know they are particularly hard to rehome, but this pair had been at the shelter unwanted for a whole year because they weren't outgoing & friendly. Add that to being black and almost black, and they kept being overlooked.

And they haven't meant much work as such just patience, letting them make the first moves and not rushing them.

[cozietoesie]

Well done you all.

I think you can buy (cheaper) spare heads for Da Bird by the way. Sounds as if you might need some.

[Allergictoironing]

Already stocked up with a couple! Original head may last another day or two possibly, if I'm lucky and he goes a bit more gently with it (fat chance of that!).