Ollie wasn't a particularly happy boy on the ride home. Matter of fact, if I'd had any doubts about his lineage, his voice would have settled them. He DEFINITELY has the voice of a Siamese-type cat. And he believes in exercising it when unhappy.
However, once he got home and the crate was put in the room I'd set aside for his 2 week quarantine, he got very quiet. Randall had carried him in and he said as soon as the crate was set down, Ollie was looking around with his ears pricked and obviously intrigued with his new lodgings.
No shy, retiring violet here.
Coming out of the crate, Ollie was all aquiver. Ears up. Nose twitching. Tail...well, visualize what a skunk looks like right before spraying, and you'll get the idea. For a few minutes, I was afraid that's what he was going to do, but it became clear that was just how he holds his tail when he's excited.
And the purring. OHMIGOD...talk about a boat motor. And people oriented? Oh yes. VERY happy to be with people and not caged. The head butting. The kneading. The purring. The meowing. This was one VERY excited little man. No question his personality wasn't on display at the shelter, but it sure was now. I can only imagine how hard the change in environment had been for him.
He's been here going on two days now, and while he's not happy being in quarantine, it's very obvious he's going to integrate well here. He's heard the dogs sniffing under the door and there's been no growling or hissing...just stable curiosity. This is good because he has never been around dogs.
Ditto the response when he hears Howdy. I suspect there will be no problems there (at least on his end) since he lived with other cats before being taken to the shelter.
Right now my only real goal besides making sure he knows he is loved is figuring out just how in the hell to clip his nails. When I say they're talons, I'm not joking. It has been very hard to pet him much or play with him because he is constantly kneading and those nails are dangerous. I've attempted a couple of times to clip them, but this was something he apparently never had done and he's dangerous.
I'll give him a few days and then see what I can do about them. I can't even fiddle with his feet to try to get him used to having them handled because he's so excited he can't stop kneading.
I also want to get some pictures taken/posted and the blog set up...Blogger is acting up as I type this, so it may be tomorrow before it's laid out right and I give Ollie a chance to blog. :)
Lyric, try clipping one nail at a time, preferably when he is in near sleep mode. This way, you'll eventually make it through all the razors. Couple it with a treat, if he eats them.
ReplyDeleteLonger term, get him used to massaging his feet (especially extruding his claws), one at a time, when he's in lovebug mode. This will help him get used to his feet being touched. He'll be resistant at fist, but just do it for a couple of seconds and release. Combine it with a treat, if he eats them, to associate this with pleasant things.
Dru