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Introducing Zuri!

Laura W

Savannah Super Cat
Just an update on where we are.

He is playing more with DaBird the last couple of days and it has become his favorite toy. Favorite place to take DaBird when he catches it is to a folded sheet from the other cat room that smells like the other 3 cats. He has spotted the 3 girls when I put them in the catio to play for a bit each night. He watches and is very curious, tried to get to Mitzi through the window (I close the door off from his room when the girls are playing.) He is fine when Mitzi puts her paws under the door when he and I play in his quarantine room and I also play with her to encourage her paws under the door for him to see and smell. The others continue to act as if they don't know he's there, although Dolos spotted him in the window while in catio and was her grumpy self, growling and snarling. It's just her way of warning this is her house, but she is harmless.

When we play, he will randomly stop and flatten his ears and bare his teeth but it never goes any further, probably because I will just do soft blinks and tell him it's okay. Takes maybe 5 second for his ears to go forward and he continues to play. There has been a couple times he looks like he is thinking of doing his rushing at you but it he doesn't follow through. I think he knows I'm not intimidated by him. Still cannot touch him, but he is willing to take tiny bit of chicken from my fingers and is very gentle. He pulls back when touched with anything, I think he is still a bit scared.

Litter habits are great with a proper size box, drinking a lot of water and he is an eating machine. He mainly stays under the large desk where the chair would normally be but comes out to play as soon as he sees the toy. In the evenings, he likes to be in the window or the catio. I noticed since he saw the girls and the door was closed, he isn't out there as often, so tonight I lifted the flap and used the toy to show him it is open for him.

Overall, I think it is going well. As always, open to any suggestions! :)
 

Chris Elliott

Savannah Super Cat
Sounds like real progress! Congrats to all of you.

He reminds me very much of Ziggy, with his clear reaction to a soft blink and kind words.

I was able to sleep with Ziggy many nights early on, and then when we expanded his zone to include our bedroom, he slept with both of us. Are one or both of you able to sleep with him? Nights or naps? That's the only thing that comes to mind that might help.
 

dice

Site Supporter
Love a Savannah Romance story. Zuri scored when he found you and the man.!!:)

I've just started full family integration of my F2 twins allowing 2 months of isolation, with some interactions with the rest of the gang. Only problem now is I need to get a king sized bed. Running out of room with 2 F2's, 2 F3's, one domestic, and the woman.!!! :roflmao:

Am so jealous of your catio, submitted a proposal for a catio to my condo board, and was turned down flat. grrr.
 

Laura W

Savannah Super Cat
Figured I should post an update. He is still in his quarantine room because he still shows a lot of fear. We play every night and he is accepting of taking small bits chicken from my hand, but then he starts hissing and will strike out with his paw. He has huge paws! I just redirect is attention, get soft blinks from him and reassure him I won't hurt him and focus on playing.

He has perfect litter habits and loves the catio. He is very curious and comes out into the catio when he hears me watering the plants and filling the pond. He will hang out with me and I have been able to enter the catio once without him retreating to his room. He is so curious towards our bassett/doxie mix. He seeks him out when he is outdoors with me, watching him very intently, growls and bears teeth initially but hen tries to touch him very gently. Monte has always loved cats, so he is drawn to Zuri. The jungle bob, Mitzi, always has her paws under the door to quarantine room and he just watches with curiosity. I don't feel he is ready to meet the other furkids in open areas yet.

Danny will come home this week and with his help, I think I will confine the others and let him out to explore. I know him well enough that he will go back to his room. We will make a temporary gate to cover the entire door opening to his quarantine room so they can all see each other without a chance of anyone being hurt. Zuri has an large area he can retreat to where he can't be seen and no one can see him.

I have every faith if we continue to take it slow, but at the same time pushing his boundaries ever so slightly, he will continue to progress. If Danny hadn't been gone for 3 weeks, we would have been further. Danny is convinced Zuri is going to be his cat. Nothing would make me happier. Overall, I am happy with his progress.
 

admin

Paige
Staff member
Figured I should post an update. He is still in his quarantine room because he still shows a lot of fear. We play every night and he is accepting of taking small bits chicken from my hand, but then he starts hissing and will strike out with his paw. He has huge paws! I just redirect is attention, get soft blinks from him and reassure him I won't hurt him and focus on playing.

He has perfect litter habits and loves the catio. He is very curious and comes out into the catio when he hears me watering the plants and filling the pond. He will hang out with me and I have been able to enter the catio once without him retreating to his room. He is so curious towards our bassett/doxie mix. He seeks him out when he is outdoors with me, watching him very intently, growls and bears teeth initially but hen tries to touch him very gently. Monte has always loved cats, so he is drawn to Zuri. The jungle bob, Mitzi, always has her paws under the door to quarantine room and he just watches with curiosity. I don't feel he is ready to meet the other furkids in open areas yet.

Danny will come home this week and with his help, I think I will confine the others and let him out to explore. I know him well enough that he will go back to his room. We will make a temporary gate to cover the entire door opening to his quarantine room so they can all see each other without a chance of anyone being hurt. Zuri has an large area he can retreat to where he can't be seen and no one can see him.

I have every faith if we continue to take it slow, but at the same time pushing his boundaries ever so slightly, he will continue to progress. If Danny hadn't been gone for 3 weeks, we would have been further. Danny is convinced Zuri is going to be his cat. Nothing would make me happier. Overall, I am happy with his progress.
Great update, Laura! Thank you for sharing! I'm looking forward to a report once Danny is back and you can let zuri roam a bit more... I often wonder what was done to him to make him so fearful :(

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
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Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
It all sounds good... I do understand feeling like it is slow progress but FAR far better to think you did things too slow by a week than do it too fast and have to take steps backward to compensate.

You are doing an amazing job!
 
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