This is Noche, with his brother Cody, and one of the sweetest cats I’ve ever known, in the background. I wrote about Cody in an earlier blog. When I first started pet sitting for them, Noche would have nothing to do with me, except to hiss and growl at me from one of his hiding places. When coming though the door, I would occasionally see a black streak flash across the living room, so I knew Noche was still there, seemingly healthy and alive… LOL! A big part of my job is to make sure all the animals I’m caring for are doing well. However, it’s difficult when said animal is frightened and won’t let me get near them.
I’ve cared for Noche, and his brothers and sisters, several times now. Over time our relationship has very slowly evolved. Once he decided I wasn’t a threat and I wouldn’t hurt him, and also because I feed him, he stopped running away and hiding from me. I knew better than to try to push him by trying to touch him, so at first I would just walk by, speak softly to him, and drop a treat or two. Other times I would quietly sit near him for a few minutes, I wouldn’t talk to or make eye contact with him. He would watch me, and look like he was thinking about checking me out, but it took awhile until he finally did.
Then he started coming up to sniff my shoes, and bat them with un-clawed paws and walk away. Finally he would do the shoe sniff, paw bat and then sit down next to me; but he would watch to make sure I wasn’t going to touch him… so I wouldn’t.
Now he allows me to pet him for a few seconds… Big breakthrough!
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