12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269, +5/133

Previous Condo.

I think we're reaching a turning point with part-feral Mr. Michelangelo. The last week or so, he's willingly jumped into my lap twice! He only used to do that when he was a little kitten and scared of his own shadow. Once he got bigger and more mobile, he no longer needed to "hide" on my lap and so he stopped doing it. At first, I thought it might have been a fluke or an accident, but the second time he did it, I realized he was purposefully trying to be friendly! Baby steps!

And a follow-up picture of his stretched out forearms:

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

He's beautiful! Looks a little like my Patches.

My 18 yo feral will get up on the bed and bump my hand for petting. That's as close as it gets for her, always has been. 99% of the time, if I pick her up, just to help her get on the bed, she'll squall. Not as much as she used to! She used to sound like you were killing her! Vets always freaked out about her squalling. :lol: They'd say "you'd think I was killing her when all I did was pick her up!" I always laughed at them, I know what she does, but they'd be so apologetic! :lol: Same way if I try to brush her. I have to hold her down with one hand and brush with the other, since she doesn't groom much any more. She throws a fit! Gotta love her though, she is much less trouble than the non-ferals. :lol: Had her since she was 5 months and adopted me in a grocery store parking lot, in heat. Vet said that was the only reason she came near me. It got her fixed and a furever home. :thumbup

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

I barely even try brushing Michelangelo. If I bring the brush anywhere near him, he gets this terrified look on his face like it's a gun or something and then he bolts before I can even make a move. I'll sometimes trick him into a quick brushing when I'm testing him but I don't want to do it too often or else he'll start associating "testing" with the awful "brushing" that he hates so much. I'm just glad he's really good at grooming his own long hair (and Henry's)!

With Michelangelo, half the time I go to pick him up, he acts like he doesn't know me and cowers in fear or swipes in defense. @-) The other half the time, he thinks it's a game of tag and will make me chase him everywhere till he "lets" me catch him. :YMSIGH: But at least he's trying! It was so funny the first time he sat in my lap. he was there for less than a minute and paced around in this confused state like, "am I in the right place? Why does this chair feel so warm and squishy?" The second time, he stuck around for about a minute and actually sat fully on my lap in this tense posture of, "I want to be here, but not really."

And you're so right about ferals being "easier" than non-ferals! My Henry is a non-feral-but-wild, rambunctious, loveable handful. Last night, he was on top of my fridge, clearing it off for me because he thought it was too cluttered and everything belonged on the floor instead. ohmygod_smile Once I got him off there, he proceeded to the side-table where my brother had stashed a bag of treats for them and he opened the pull-knob drawer somehow! He emptied everything onto the floor, chewed through the bag of treats, and ate most of them before my brother caught him at it. Even though he's not a poly-dactyl, he definitely has the "thumbs" of one. :lol: The whole time, Michelangelo sat passively in the chair from the pic above and watched Henry's antics with the boredom of a cat who is above such shenanigans.

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

That's funny! Lucian and Patches both were a handful, but Shadow (the feral) or Meow Meow as she known for being so verbal, never got into anything.

My Patches earned the nickname of 'Momma's Little Terrorist' for a reason! I swear, for the 1st year, she thought her name was 'NO NO Patches!" She heard it several times a day! :lol:

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

Roflmao!!! my ferals are always less trouble. Even little Mariposa is the most well mannered kitten. Far too busy for long cuddle sessions if you can catch her.


Mel and The Fur Gang

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

Seriously! The non-ferals may be more lovable in the long run, but are a PITA!

Meow Meow has never been a problem. Now when Lucian came, he was 4 months and she was a little over 2 yrs, but they played constantly and were forever chasing each other thru the house. They've been buds ever since. She was his play buddy, which surprised me. But when she was a kitten, almost the same age, I had my boy Ripley that was a little over 2 and it was the same story. There was a 2 yrs +- difference in all their ages, like 6, 4, 2, until Patches came when Lucian was about 7-8 and I lost Ripley at 16. When Patches came, they were all too old and fat to play, but she RAN the weight off them the 1st year and they have been much healthier for it! She still tackles Lucian and Meow, at least every other day and she's 6 now. I make her leave Meow alone because of her age, but Lucian will instigate and I let them go at it! :lol:

Re: 12/4 Michelangelo AMPS 269

nckitties3 said:

My Patches earned the nickname of 'Momma's Little Terrorist' for a reason! I swear, for the 1st year, she thought her name was 'NO NO Patches!" She heard it several times a day! :lol:

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Haha! I bet Henry thinks his name is "Henry, OFF!" I also call him "My Little Poltergeist" because of his insatiable need to open anything that's closed...and leave it open. He and my brother get along quite well in that aspect. :lol: